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. |
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Helidays 2006 | Helidays 2007 | |||
Helidays 2008 | Helidays 2009 | |||
There were 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. |
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