Alan Bristow
Encyclopedia
Alan Edgar Bristow, OBE
, FRAeS (3 September 1923 – 26 April 2009) founded one of the world's largest helicopter
service companies, Bristow Helicopters Ltd
, which prospered primarily in the international oil and mineral exploration and extraction industries but also spread into search and rescue, peacekeeping and other fields.
Born in Balham
, South London, on 3 September 1923, Alan Bristow was raised first in Bermuda
, where his father Sydney was in charge of the Royal Naval Dockyard, and later in Portsmouth
, England, when his father was promoted. At Portsmouth Grammar School Bristow was a contemporary of the author James Clavell
, who remained a lifelong friend and wrote a book, Whirlwind
, about one of Bristow's riskier exploits. In 1940 Bristow joined the British India Steamship Line as a deck officer cadet and twice had ships sunk under him – the SS Malda, by Japanese warships in the Bay of Bengal
on 6 April 1942, and the SS Hatarana by the German submarine U214 on 18 August 1942. He was present at the evacuation of Rangoon and the Operation Torch landings in North Africa before joining the Fleet Air Arm as a trainee pilot in 1943. He was trained on the Fairchild Cornell and North American T6 Harvard in Canada before being sent to Floyd Bennet Field in New York in 1944 to learn to fly the Sikorsky R4 helicopter. After demobilisation he joined the Westland Aircraft Company as its first helicopter test pilot, but was sacked for attacking the company's sales manager. As an itinerant helicopter pilot he sprayed crops in France, the Netherlands and North Africa before winning the Croix de Guerre
evacuating wounded French soldiers with a Hiller 12A helicopter in Indochina
in 1948. He provided helicopter spotting services for Aristotle Onassis
's pirate whaling fleet in the Antarctic and later sold helicopters to several whaling fleets before being engaged by the legless former fighter pilot Douglas Bader
in 1955 to provide helicopter services to oil exploration platforms in the Persian Gulf. Bristow Helicopters Ltd eventually expanded to cover most of the globe outside Russia and Alaska, with notable profit centres in the British North Sea, Nigeria, Iran, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. For his services to aviation he was honoured with an OBE in 1966.
With the exception of a three-year period from 1968 to 1971 when he was made Chief Executive of the privately-owned British United Airways
, Bristow remained at the helm of the company until 1985, when he was ousted by his major shareholder, Lord Cayzer, who disagreed with his expansion plans. Bristow moved to take over Westland Helicopters and built a majority shareholding during the 'Westland Affair
' which led to the resignation from the British government of two Cabinet ministers and came close to toppling Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
in 1986. Westland was eventually bought by Sikorsky.
A keen equestrian
, Bristow represented Great Britain at four-in-hand carriage driving with the Duke of Edinburgh
and used his engineering expertise to develop a driverless urban rapid transit system. He died on 26 April 2009, aged 85.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRAeS (3 September 1923 – 26 April 2009) founded one of the world's largest helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
service companies, Bristow Helicopters Ltd
Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters is a British helicopter airline originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, part of the Bristow Group based in Houston, Texas, USA....
, which prospered primarily in the international oil and mineral exploration and extraction industries but also spread into search and rescue, peacekeeping and other fields.
Born in Balham
Balham
Balham is a district of London, EnglandBalham can also refer to:*Balham, Ardennes, a commune in France*Balham station, railway and tube station in Balham, London*Balaam, a Biblical figure...
, South London, on 3 September 1923, Alan Bristow was raised first in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, where his father Sydney was in charge of the Royal Naval Dockyard, and later in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England, when his father was promoted. At Portsmouth Grammar School Bristow was a contemporary of the author James Clavell
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
, who remained a lifelong friend and wrote a book, Whirlwind
Whirlwind (novel)
Whirlwind is a novel by James Clavell, first published in 1986. It forms part of The Asian Saga and is chronologically the last book in the series....
, about one of Bristow's riskier exploits. In 1940 Bristow joined the British India Steamship Line as a deck officer cadet and twice had ships sunk under him – the SS Malda, by Japanese warships in the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
on 6 April 1942, and the SS Hatarana by the German submarine U214 on 18 August 1942. He was present at the evacuation of Rangoon and the Operation Torch landings in North Africa before joining the Fleet Air Arm as a trainee pilot in 1943. He was trained on the Fairchild Cornell and North American T6 Harvard in Canada before being sent to Floyd Bennet Field in New York in 1944 to learn to fly the Sikorsky R4 helicopter. After demobilisation he joined the Westland Aircraft Company as its first helicopter test pilot, but was sacked for attacking the company's sales manager. As an itinerant helicopter pilot he sprayed crops in France, the Netherlands and North Africa before winning the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
evacuating wounded French soldiers with a Hiller 12A helicopter in Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
in 1948. He provided helicopter spotting services for Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Sokratis Onassis , commonly called Ari or Aristo Onassis, was a prominent Greek shipping magnate.- Early life :Onassis was born in Karatass, a suburb of Smyrna to Socrates and Penelope Onassis...
's pirate whaling fleet in the Antarctic and later sold helicopters to several whaling fleets before being engaged by the legless former fighter pilot Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
in 1955 to provide helicopter services to oil exploration platforms in the Persian Gulf. Bristow Helicopters Ltd eventually expanded to cover most of the globe outside Russia and Alaska, with notable profit centres in the British North Sea, Nigeria, Iran, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. For his services to aviation he was honoured with an OBE in 1966.
With the exception of a three-year period from 1968 to 1971 when he was made Chief Executive of the privately-owned British United Airways
British United Airways
British United Airways was a private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations British airline formed as a result of the merger of Airwork Services and Hunting-Clan Air Transport in July 1960, making it the largest wholly private airline based in the United Kingdom at the time...
, Bristow remained at the helm of the company until 1985, when he was ousted by his major shareholder, Lord Cayzer, who disagreed with his expansion plans. Bristow moved to take over Westland Helicopters and built a majority shareholding during the 'Westland Affair
Westland affair
The Westland affair was a political scandal for the British Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1986. The argument was a result of differences of opinion within the government as to the future of the United Kingdom helicopter industry. The struggling Westland company, Britain's last...
' which led to the resignation from the British government of two Cabinet ministers and came close to toppling Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
in 1986. Westland was eventually bought by Sikorsky.
A keen equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, Bristow represented Great Britain at four-in-hand carriage driving with the Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
and used his engineering expertise to develop a driverless urban rapid transit system. He died on 26 April 2009, aged 85.