Page 57 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition

NEWS DIGITAL

FORMER SOMERSET SOLDIER

RESTORES VINTAGE HELICOPTER

Andrew Whitehouse and Dave Wells restored a Westland
Wessex helicopter - it is now the only airworthy helicopter of its
kind in the world (Image: AirTV)

“It's had new engines, it's had
new gearboxes - the list goes on!”
A former soldier from Somerset has “It’s the biggest project I've
spent more than £300,000 of his own undertaken,” said chief engineer
money to rescue a unique and iconic 1960s Dave Wells.
Royal Navy helicopter that hadn’t flown for “They're an iconic aircraft from
more than 30 years. the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Andrew Whitehouse from Chard bought a “People just love the shape - they
Westland Wessex from the navy and, with are a classic helicopter shape.”
a dedicated team of engineers, has spent “Personally I feel very privileged
two years restoring the helicopter to flying that I've been asked to fulfil this
condition - it is now the only airworthy role,” added test pilot captain Steve
Wessex in the world. Daniels.
The renovation featured in a new 6-part “There are lots of fixed wing historic collection of helicopters at Andrew
TV series, Warbird Workshop, on a British aircraft flying, there aren't that many rotary Whitehouse’s Historic Helicopters hanger
TV channel. wing and I think most helicopter pilots in Somerset, including: another Wessex, a
Westland Whirlwind (also the only flying
The helicopter, known as XT761, was would probably give their left arm to be example in the world) and two Westland
based at Ascension Island during the involved in a project like this.” Sea King helicopters.
Falklands War and also saved lives on The restoration, which took 14,000 man-
search and rescue missions. hours, faced many challenges, including The documentary featured interviews
Nearly 400 Wessex helicopters were built antiquated electronics, leaking fuel and with former Wessex rescue diver Julian
just down the road from Andrew’s hangar finding replacement parts. ‘Smiler’ Grinney and Olympic yachtsman
Rodney Patterson, who he saved from his
at the Westland’s (now Leonardo) factory But all the effort was worthwhile. stricken yacht in the Fastnet Yacht Race
in Yeovil, but historic helicopters are so "And we would have been scuppered disaster in 1979, when nineteen people lost
complex and expensive to maintain that without Leonardo - they must've spent their lives.
she is now the only flying Wessex left. hours in document rooms, finding informa-
“We stripped the Wessex out and virtual- tion for us.” Warbird Workshop is available to watch
ly rebuilt it,” said Andrew Whitehouse. The Wessex is part of an expanding on demand.Q

SAFETY
THE NIGERIAN PILOT WHO SAVED

PASSENGERS

lost its tyres after crash-landing
at the Airport facility, Ajibola
Captain Simisola Ajibola expertly brought the near-fatal
was born into a family of incident under control, thus
saving the lives of those aboard
aviators. She and her siblings amid poor visibility and bad
Ademola and Adeoye took after weather.
their father, a retired pilot. “The aircraft landed hard,
It was no surprise Ajibola causing the nose wheels to
became the hero pilot whose separate from the strut. All
shrewd judgement averted 133 passengers and six crew
a crash at the Murtala disembarked safely, although
Mohammed International there was extensive damage to
Airport in Lagos, Nigeria. Flying the runway and plane,” was how Ajibola became the first woman captain to be decorated
about 133 passengers aboard a local newspaper described the by Air Peace Airlines in 2018 after joining the airline
the Air Peace Boeing 737 which incident in 2019. Q in February 2017 as a Senior First Officer (SFO)

World Airnews | May Extra 2020
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