Friends of The Helicopter Museum

Weston Helidays Gallery 2010

At 1200 on Friday 23rd July 2010 the United States Air Force conducted an Aerial Refuelling Flypast, over Weston Bay, for the opening of the 20th Anniversary Weston-super-Mare "Helidays"  event, in Somerset. A Lockheed MC-130P "Combat Shadow" tanker aircraft was provided by the 67th Special Operations Squadron of the 352nd Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall and a Sikorsky HH-60G "Pave Hawk", serial 89-26208, combat search and rescue helicopter, was provided by the 56th Rescue Squadron of the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath. Following the demonstration the HH-60 helicopter broke from the tanker aircraft and landed (above right) on Beach Lawns where it remained, on display, throughout the Weston "Helidays" weekend, until Sunday 25th July 2010.
Click any small picture below to enlarge

Agusta A109E Power Elite, ZR322, from the RAF's No.32 (The Royal) Squadron, at Northolt and used as a VIP transport.		Belgian Land Component Agusta A109HA, Serial H23. Built in 1993, H23 is now with 17 Squadron and based at Bierset.		Eurocopter EC135T2, G-WCAO, operated by the Avon & Somerset Constabulary and the Gloucestershire Constabulary.
The latest version of Ben Cope's Bug Mk.4 research and development helicopter, has abandoned the 2008 "ring rotor".		German Navy SAR helicopter Westland Sea King Mk.41, 89+54, c/n WA758, was built in 1973 and is based at Kiel-Holtenau		Robinson R22 Beta II, G-CBWZ, c/n 3101. Built in 2000 and belonging to Plane Talking, it flew from its base at Elstree.
USAF Sikorsky HH-60G, serial 89-26208, being prepared to lift off from Beach Lawns at the close of Helidays weekend.		An early arrival on Friday was a second Belgian Agusta A109HA multi-role helicopter, H28, also based at Bierset.		RAF WS61 Sea King HAR3A, ZH541, from 22 Squadron, Chivenor, was grounded, on Saturday night, with hydraulic problems.
MBB Bo.105DBS-4, G-NDAA, is owned by Bond Air Services Ltd. and operated by the Great Western Air Ambulance.		Bell 412EP Griffin HT1, ZJ703, from the SAR Training Unit of the DHFS, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales.		Royden Kemp's Bell 47G-5, G-BAXS, one of the most regular visitors to Helidays, was parked close to its traditional spot.
Westland SA-341C Gazelle HT.2, G-CBGZ, originally flown by the RNAS as ZB646, has been on the civil register since 2001.		From the Helicopter Museum came Brantly B.2B, G-OAPR, displayed alongside a smart Jaguar with matching registration.		Enstrom 280, G-IGHH, c/n 5034, built and imported to the UK in 1998, now clearly belongs to Raw Sports Ltd in Cinderford.
Heliair's Robinson R22 Beta, G-ZAPY, from Wellesbourne, had recently taken part in an Air Display in Grenchen, Switzerland.		Robinson R44 Raven II, G-OHAM, is based at Gloucestershire Airport and is owned by Hamsters Wheel Productions Ltd.		Brantly B.2B, G-AWDU, Serial 781, was built in 1968 and has attended several previous Weston Helidays.
Closing flypast by the two Belgian Agusta A109HAs led by the German Navy Westland Sea King Mk.41. Thanks to mike-wsm for use of his photograph.
Helidays 2006				Helidays 2007
Helidays 2008				Helidays 2009
There was no International Helidays on Weston-super-Mare's Beach Lawns in 2011, mainly due to ever-increasing costs with decreasing revenue and funding. Instead a smaller scale Mini-Helidays weekend was held at The Museum's Heliport on 23rd & 24th July 2011.