Moorabbin Sycamore engine run

The engine of Bristol Sycamore Mk.3 A91-1 has been run for the first time in around 25 years. The helicopter is with the Moorabin Air Museum in Melbourne, Australia. The helicopter was acquired by the museum in 1967, after it was wrecked in an accident. It has been fully restored, and the video shows the Alvis Leonides engine being turned over in January 2014.

The Sycamore was delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1951 in the hold of a Bristol Freighter. It was disposed of in 1965, and operated as a heavy lifting vehicle as VH-GYR in Victoria until its accident. The museum's Bristol Freighter has also been undergoing some TLC, including the fitting of its flying surfaces. More information can be found on their Facebook page.

Omaka Freighter comes back to life

Following the recent news that Alistair Marshall has been working on the Bristol Hercules engines of the Bristol Freighter at Omaka in New Zealand, the port engine successfully run up on 13th June 2008. The Starboard engine was briefly run a few days later. Click below for video of the event.

A high resolution version of this video is available at www.aviationfilm.com.

Plans to bring Omaka Freighter back to life

A member of the Marlborough Aero Club at Omaka in New Zealand has started the huge task of bringing the clubs Bristol Freighter back to life. The aircraft, ZK-CPT, arrived at Omaka in 1986, and the engines were inhibited in the 1990's. The intention is to get the Bristol Hercules engines running, and it may even be possible to taxi the Freighter in the future. Progress is regularly reported on the
Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum.

Bristol Freighter set for homecoming

In September 2004, this website reported on the last ever flight of a Bristol Freighter, when C-GYQS was delivered from Terrace, British Columbia, to Wetaskiwin, BC. It had been donated by Hawkair to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, and its flight marked not only the last flight of a Freighter, but the last of any surviving UK-built Bristol aircraft. It now appears that this may not be its final flight, as it has been secured by Graham Kilsby, who wants to fly it from the West of Canada back to its birthplace in Bristol.

Freighter C-GYQS on its last flight, taken by Richard de Boer

The aircraft was put up for auction, as Hawkair has gone into administration, and the freighter is still deemed as an asset. Preparations are now being made to bring the aircraft back to life, and prepare it for a 50-hour flight across the Atlantic. In order to achieve this, a fund has been set up to raise the £75,000 costs involved. There are no Freighters in Europe, and infact it is probably the only commercially successful British aircraft where there is no example preserved in the UK or Europe. Anyone wishing to donate to the fund should call +44 (0)117 962 1105 in the UK. Progress on this project will appear on this website when available.

Bristol Freighter makes its last flight

Bristol Freighter C-GYQS has made its last flight, which also happened to be the last flight of a Bristol airliner. The Freighter left Prince George, on the last stage of its delivery flight from Terrace, BC, Canada to Wetaskiwin, Alberta, on 6th September at 1:30pm local, and arrived at its new home three hours later. As with the earlier stages, the Captain was Scott Swanson, co-pilot was Lori Skinner and engineer was Paul Hawkins.

Freighter C-GYQS on its last flight, taken by Richard de Boer

Not only was the aircraft the last airworthy Bristol Freighter, it was the last airworthy example of any Bristol airliner. It will now be put on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum. The choice of this museum was due to its relative close proximity to Terrace, making the delivery flight much easier than for other parts of Canada. The donation of the aircraft to a Canadian museum has resulted in a federal tax credit worth 300,000 USD to Hawkair.

Future assured for last airworthy Bristol Freighter

Although it has not flown since 1999, it is hoped that Bristol 170 Freighter C-GYQS will fly to its new home later this month. The Freighter has been in storage at Terrace, British Columbia, since its owners, Hawkair, ceased mine work in the remote locations of Western Canada. It has now been donated to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, at Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada. In early August, the fuel tank bags were replaced, and maintenance was performed on the engine blower shafts. Both Bristol Hercules engines were started for the first time in 2 years without a hitch.

The starboard Bristol Hercules starting for the first time in 2 years - photo courtesy of Sean Keating

Update 27th Aug: The aircraft made a successful 38 minute test flight on 27th August. The Captain was Scott Swanson, co-pilot was Lori Skinner and
engineer was Paul Hawkins - one of the founders of Hawkair. Delivery to Wetaskiwin is planned for 31st August, depending on weather.

Update 29th Aug: The Bristol Freighter took off from Terrace at 10.30am Local time on 29th August, and after a low pass over the airfield, it left on delivery to Wetaskiwin. The Weather over the Rockies closed in, and after about 200 miles and two hours the crew landed at Fort St. James to await better weather.

Update 30th Aug: On Monday 30th August, Quebec Sierra left Fort St. James, but this time landed at Prince George, only 80 miles further on, due to weather. The aircraft can only fly under Visual Flight Rules, and the crew have found many of the valley to be 'blocked' by cloud. The Freighter will now have to wait for a week before another attempt is made to fly her to her new home.

Home found for Wangaratta Freighter

After months of uncertainty, Bristol 170 Frieghter VH-ADL has been assured a future by the Australian National Aviation Museum, at Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne, Australia. The Freighter had been put up for disposal in early 2003, following the closure of the Airworld Collection at Wangaratta in Victoria, Australia in 2002. It had been earmarked for preservation in the UK, but sadly the cost of transportation seems to have detered the acquisition. Instead, the pristine 170 was left semi-dismantled, and could have been sold for scrap. There are no Bristol 170's in the UK, or Europe for that matter, and it in unlikely that one in this condition will become available again, so this missed opertunity as disappointed many people in the county of its birth.

Update: July 2004 - VH-ADL has now been delivered to Moorabbin, and work to re-assemble the aircraft will start soon.

Bristol Freighter to the UK?

It has been revealed that tender for Bristol Frieghter VH-ADL has been won by Roger Hargreaves, trustee of the Bristol Aero Collection, and founder of the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust. The plan is that the aircraft will be transported by sea to the UK, and will be loaned to the Bristol Aero Collection for display when it moves to Filton Airfield. The cost of shipping will be substantial, and funding is needed if the UK wants to see an example of this much-needed aircraft on its shores.
Update: The deal to move the Freighter to the UK fell through, but the aircraft has been saved, and it moved to Moorabbin in 2004.

Unusual use for a Bristol Freighter

When airliners reach the end of their useful lives, most are scrapped, but a few are saved for preservation. Others end up as themed restaurants, night clubs or even as homes. A new and unusual use has been found for ex Royal New Zealand Air Force Freighter ZK-EPC/NZ5906. Towards the end of 2002, it was converted into two self contained motel units in Woodlyn Park, near the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand. The rooms can be booked for NZ$95 per night, on-line at http://www.woodlynpark.co.nz.

Freighter movements

Not one but two Bristol 170 Freighters are scheduled to be moved soon. Former Argentine Air Force TC-330, part of the Museo Nacional de Aeronautica in Buenos Aires, is in the process of being dismantled for transportation to the museums new home at Morón Air Base. It has been with the museum at the Jorge Newbery Aeroparque since its withdrawal from service in 1967. It is the oldest surviving Bristol Freighter.

The other is VH-ADL, formerly of the Airworld Collection at Wangaratta in Victoria, Australia. The Collection closed its doors in February 2002, with the local council taking over the museum artifacts. The first tender block closed on October 25th, and a buyer was found for the Freighter. The identity of the new owner is not yet public knowledge, but it is expected that it will be transported to the United Kingdom for display. The Freighter is said to be in excellent condition, but it seems unlikely that it will ever return to the skies. For one thing, there are no Freighter propellers in existence that are not time expired, and it would be expensive to manufacture new ones.