In the pipeline

Post by **RAF_Quantum** » 22 Feb 2007, 16:10

Hi Guys,

Some new types will be added to the fleet in due course :

Miles Marathon
Operated by Derby Airways mainly from Midlands to Channel islands, Scotland and IOM.

Canadair C-4 Argonaut
Operated by BOAC and several British independant airlines worldwide.

Westland Wessex
Bristow helicoptors operated this type for a short time in the UK on oil support flights.

Avro York
Many operators, worldwide operations

Bristol Britannia
Many operators, worldwide operations

Rgds

John

soggy · Post by **soggy** » 22 Feb 2007, 22:54

Nice one John,

Really happy to see the introduction of a helicopter into the fleet,I will definatly be getting a type rating on that.

Pete.

Post by **DaveB** » 23 Feb 2007, 00:31

Nice one Pete. I don't think there will be that many 'takers' due to the destinations.. the ODG rigs! :shock: We're evaluating routes at the mo but there are so many rig's.. this is likely to be a long process. Anyway.. does anyone out there fancy doing a Bristow repaint of Brians lovely Wessex (the RAF one NOT the RN one) :think:

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 23 Feb 2007, 00:53

Dave I asked on SImshed at the beginning if they were doing a Civil Wessex 60

They said they would be.

Don't know if that is still current.

Not that this at all answers you question

Garry

Post by **DaveB** » 23 Feb 2007, 11:10

Hi Garry,

Well.. that's great news

We'll go with what we have at the mo and snap-up the '60 as soon as she's out

ATB

DaveB :tab:

soggy · Post by **soggy** » 23 Feb 2007, 11:23

Dave,

Will the Wessex be operating to the current rigs as they are today,Or,To the rigs they actually served up 1981?.

I have just done some searching around the internet and came up with a blank regarding routes flown,but have managed to find fleet lists and the years they were operated.

If the routes are to be historical,and you are struggling to find the info,can i suggest a post on prunne under either the rotorheads or aviation history and nostalgia.There are some very knowledgable helicopter people over there.

Give us a shout if i can help in anyway.

Pete.

Post by **RAF_Quantum** » 23 Feb 2007, 11:58

Hi Pete,

Scenery-wise the ODG stuff is 'as was circa 2004'. Most of the early exploration platforms would have been moving about in a general location for test drilling etc and viable discoveries now would have been replaced with wellheads feeding production platforms. Looking at the options for platforms in the sceneries available at ODG there are quite busy geographical clusters. Even if they are not in exact locations to where older rigs were, I'm sure they will be within a few nm. Still searching for info but as you say not much around.

Rgds

John

Post by **DaveB** » 23 Feb 2007, 11:59

Hi Pete,

Tks for that

I'm not sure how historically accurate the routes are going to be as we're tied to what rigs are available. What is certain is that the rigs currently available from ODG are located correctly and I doubt the fields themselves have changed much over 20years. Likewise, the rig support bases.. North Denes, Dyce and Sumburgh are still extant so we have enough to be close

I've downloaded pretty much all of the ODG stuff over the past couple of days and installed 3 areas.. North Sea North, North Sea Central and North Sea Southern. This gives a mass of rigs for the 3 bases.. I fear too many rigs to have them all covered!! Each of these would have to be entered into the FlyNET database.. a major undertaking on it's own, so we're going to have to be selective. One immediate problem is both NSN and NSC are compiled using one set of software where NSS is compiled using different software. What this all means is that for those with FSNav, the Southern region rigs all display labelled with the rig name making them easy to find but.. the Central and Northern region rigs, while displaying in FSN will NOT show the rig name without moving your mouse over the rig and reading the data. Believe me when I say there are a LOT of rigs in the Northern and Central regions.. needle in a haystack springs to mind :shock: I've been in touch with the ODG guys and have been told they're working on an afcad to try and get around this problem so if they're successful.. any prospective destination should be a damn sight easier to locate

In the meantime.. if you don't have the ODG rigs already, you might want to download a couple of packs and see what you think. You have to register on the site before you're able to D/L anything but registration is easy and the automated activation (by email) is received almost instantly

There is an ODG thread in the 'Members Only' section here so have a gander to get an idea of what's what

It looks quite complicated and the forum format isn't like here so I took ages to navigate to the right places but after a couple of visits, you'll be OK. The files you'll need are in the UKEZ section (UK Economic Zone) and are 'FIXED'.. that is, the rigs are fixed.. not mobile. Any probs finding what you might need, drop me a line here and I'll point you in the right direction

As a rough guide.. the closest rigs to North Denes are around 49nm off shore and from both Dyce and Sumburgh.. around 70-80nm off shore so any of these flights are going to be made only by someone who enjoys flying helicopters!!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Post by **RAF_Quantum** » 23 Feb 2007, 12:04

......and the plan will be, once you get to a platform, there will be a few shuttles/bus stops to a few of the platforms in the area before you need to head back home

Rgds

John

soggy · Post by **soggy** » 23 Feb 2007, 15:11

Cheers Gents,

I will download the ODG Packs now and have a look.I like the idea of shuttling between rigs before heading back to dry land,save's having to do a 50nm plus transit before getting the challenge of landing on the rig.

I belive rig flights were/are operated out of Scatsta aswell,Which would link up with the 146 flight from Aberdeen.

I take it FSNav is a must in order to locate the platforms?

Thanks for putting the effort in gents,I can see some very rewarding flying coming from all this,for those of us brave/stupid enough to try it.

Pete.