Aircraft Review: Ex British Army Gazelle Helicopter
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- Опубликовано: 28 окт 2024
- Still amazed I flew(and got to fly in) this ex British Army Gazelle helicopter! Apologies about the lack of inflight content. I did not have the relevant audio connection to record the audio. Hope you enjoy the video anyway!!
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Disclaimer:
I am not a flying instructor so my video content is for pleasure only and not to be used for training as editing removes context. My passengers are always briefed on all the main things they need to know before starting the engine. Be aware some flight critical checks and radio telephony may have not made the final edit but are always completed on the actual flight. All video content is my own and music used has been downloaded from either the RUclips music library or Epidemic Sound where I have a RUclips subscription!
Guy's please excuse the bad logo sequence in this, the new one is much better haha!
Awesome chopper. Thanks 😊
Just checked my AAC log book and found this aircraft (XZ329) is the very first entry! 😄 It was being used as a trainer at Middle Wallop UK. This was my first flight as a trainee AAC Observer and was piloted by Sgt (possibly SSgt) Clement on 3rd April 1985 as a famil flight. Great aircraft!
Haha that's brilliant thanks for sharing! I bet it's nice to see it's still going and not just rusting away somewhere!
@@TheMicroPilot Agreed. It's funny where some of them end up. One of the Lynx helicopters I crewed is now being used as a simulator! 😃
You have a beautiful gazelle . I've been up in a couple over here in the states yours is very clean that thing is immaculate beautiful ship you got there
Owning a Gazelle makes the pilot look like a LEGO man - permanent smile on the face. I fly it in DCS World, and it's allot of fun. Thanks for making the vid.
No problem, glad you enjoyed :)
I’ve just finished watching this. You’re such a lucky chap getting so many helicopter flights. This machine is a beast!
Takes me back, as he climbed up to the rotor head, I was reminded of the Bendix tie bar elongation checking shear screw that is up there. Smallest part longest name. 😊
This bought back some bitter-sweet memories. A friend of mine, now sadly deceased, owned an ex-Army Gazelle. It came with an extensive history log, right from delivery, all flights, all work carried out, etc. I don't know whether he was bluffing, but he always said it was illegal for him to take passengers unless they were recorded as ground crew or flight engineers. I certainly miss flying in the old rocket bubble!
That is correct, I was rear & front seat passenger many times in ex-RAF Gazelle, sadly the co-owner lost his life in it. We subsequently found out about passengers should be required ground crew or flight engineers, sad but what a magnificent machine.
Really enjoyed watching this and by the end of the video I didn't hate you as much as I did at the start ;) Keep up the great work mate!
Great video, the Gazelle is one of my favourites!
Am so impressed by the all round visibility from that cockpit. Great video. My friend flew with the AAC on the Lynx, but I think he trained on the Gazelle.
XZ329 was first flown on 24 June 1977 and flown from the Westland Helicopters factory at Yeovil, Somerset to RNAY Wroughton, Wiltshire for short term storage, before on 8 August 1977 it was ferried to the Westland Helicopters factory at Weston, Somerset for modification works.
On 12 September 1977 it was again sent to RNAY Wroughton for short term storage. In December 1977 it finally made it into service with 664 squadron Army Air Corps at AAC Aldergrove, then with 656 squadron based at Farnborough, Hampshire which was deployed on operation AGILA in Rhodesia during 1979-1980.
After 1982 it was based at the AAC centre at Middle Wallop, Hampshire where it was used by a range of squadrons, however we are unsure of the exact assignments.
It was assigned to Middle Wallop until it was sent to RAF Shawbury, Shropshire for long term storage after being deemed surplus to requirement on 30 January 1998.
Very clean aircraft for ex military, it's good to see it has been well cared for. Glad you enjoyed the flight, I had a chance to fly one back in 2007 out of Redhill. It was fairly choppy with 30 kt winds but I still had a blast!
Thanks, would love to do it again haha
Love this chopper. The gazelle is the first die cast model I ever had as a child. It was made by majorette. I like the view out the cockpit. Do panoramic. The exterior is also very pleasing to the eye, so aerodynamic thanks to it's teardrop or tadpole shape
As a 10 year old kid then, the fenestron is a difficult word to pronounce and an even more alien engineering concept for me to grasp. A fun fact is that the "Blue Thunder" movie starring Roy Schieder was a highly modified Gazelle with rocket and missile pods. Manufactured by Aerospatiale, the Gazelle served with distinction during the Falklands war.
Always wondered what the view was like from the cockpit in a Gazelle, used to see and hear them every day in Northern Ireland, must be at least 16 years now since i seen a Gazelle here. Your a lucky guy to own and fly one, i hope you have many years of enjoyment flying it.
Brilliant. Loved the last bit talking about the helicopter. I love the Gazelle.
ClearProp - Richard Nash it is an amazing aircraft!
The MicroPilot Such a unique sound as well, you can spot one a mile off. I finally got flying today after over a month off. 😀
Oh my God! That was absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this.
More than welcome!
What a great opportunity, fantastic helicopter.
Nice one mate! I’m very lucky we still have some in Northern Ireland based in Aldergrove/Belfast Int operating for the AAC!
Great Helicopter but the rotor goes the wrong way.....FRENCH for you.
Wow you guys are so lucky. A dream come true to have such a beast. Thank you Tom /Carl
Carl is the lucky one owning it haha, I'd love my own Gazelle one day haha
I remember 7 flight Army Air Corps in Berlin getting them around 1976. All 6 of them where grounded .soon after delivery due problems with the rear rotor blades,,,they where not squaddie proof lol.But matured I to a great aircraft and one if handled properly will make those not used to them very sick. We had to go back to using the old Bell 47G Sioux aircraft which where ideal for Berlin due their incredible viability
I would absolutely love to fly in a Gazelle! What an amazing opportunity!
I know, might be able to do it again. If I do, will be better audio next time!
The MicroPilot I’m definitely not jealous at all 😒😜
Another awesome video, Tom! Thanks so much for mentioning me in Jon's video, too :) Merry Xmas!
Scott
More than welcome mate! Your videos are great. Will have to colab sometime! Merry Xmas too :)
@@TheMicroPilot I'd love to :) Merry Xmas to you too!
You lucky old bugger you! Very good video, although yours always are good. Keep em coming mate and well done.
Haha I know, Thanks!
Great bird...advanced platform for a long time and well suited helo.
I've flown large expensive RC helicopters for years, and am starting my NPPL(M) in a week, but I have as yet never been up in a heli for real. One day!
@@TheMicroPilot purple aviation at eshott Airfield, Northumberland. Cannot freaking wait. Been glued to your channel, as well as Rory's for a good few months getting my head around the comms.
@@Planehazza Haha thanks for watching! I haven't heard of that airfield but good luck anyway! The basic trick to comms is know how to pass a message, know your Mayday and Pan calls and everything else you only need to read back numbers (runway numbers, frequencies, etc), mostly everything else is just Wilko except being told to stand by, never reply to being told to stand by, just wait. That is mainly what you should keep in your head to simplify it all but obviously this is just advice. Always consult your instructor for any questions :)
@@TheMicroPilot Thanks, Tom :) As scary as R/T can be (especially at larger airports), it is one of the modules I'm looking forward to the most :) I'm glad I've been doing a lot of studying before starting as I think it's good to go in as more than a raw newby. Just wish I'd plucked the courage to start at a younger age. 32 isn't too old I guess :D
@@Planehazza Better now than never. RT is only learn't with practise. You can watch all the videos in the world but literally get in the air, make some mistakes, you'll feel like a nob and then you just learn and improve. I agree, there's something about aviation that just makes learning fun! Even things like meteorology. I would recommend reading and watching videos before starting anyway because your only going to spend extra money having an instructor explain it all to you. When do you start training?
@@TheMicroPilot wholeheartedly agree. I don't think there's any harm learning theory behind early though, such as phraseology for particular requests etc. Your videos have helped me learn about freda checks etc too. Meteorology is the subject I'm the most nervous about. I start my first formal session next weekend
flew in many of these during my Army career. also went for pilot selection (and failed). The closest I get now is gazelle module in DCS world...and in VR its a pretty realistic experience
Ripstop, could you please provide your detailed professional opinion of the DCS Gaz 'flight model' vs real world? Things that are very close to realistic, and things that are broken or unrealistic
How close to the real thing is the DCS Gaz?
@@bensstepdad7975 Hi Bens Stepdad, unfortunately i had little stick time but in my very unprofessional opinion it feels very realistic, especially how twitchy she can be. The airframe is very light so very small movements from the cyclic are needed. I love the module and wish it saw more updates and love. You tube has a great series called flying soldiers that documents the section and training army soldiers had in the 80’s
brilliant.... got moved to the front of the battle group in one of those when on MM5 in Canada back in 86 bit cramped with a milan post and tubes pilot and no1 an no2
My first ever helicopter flight was in a gazell while on exercise in Kenya man I will never forget it.
Got to to love the gazelle!
Over my Hometown of Brighton ,some great views.
There really is, a great place to fly!
Es bonito este helicoptero, y es utilizado bastante en Rodesia
Very interesting Carl.What kind of outlay will this cost you in a years operating?
Also,when will she need to be retired for good?
i alway love those heliicopters always will they are great machine
They really are! Really lucky to have flown in it!!
Excelente Comandante. 👏
That's very cool. Is that Gazelle based at Shoreham permanently? Love a flight. Gazelles are great helicopters.
No unfortunately, he keeps it in a hangar in his garden which is pretty cool haha!
It was stationed at rad Gatow in Berlin their I used to fly it backinthe 80s
That's interesting to know!
Great video whats the song?
I fly the Helicopter Gazelle in DCS World 2.5 in VR with Oculus Rift S nice to Fly! 😁
I worked on that aircraft when I was in the army
That exact Reg or just the type?
The MicroPilot that very one
i did also, i'm pretty sure it was at DishCloth in 664 i think, but can't put my finger on it exactly. it may well have been in Aldergrove but i was in the Lynx Hangar with Islanders not the Gazelles, so i think it was defo dishforth where i worked on it... think i was a UT then aswell hahaha.
Please share your DSLR Rig? Very cinematic.👍
Thank you. I'm not too up on what camera is what, I just use what I have haha. Sorry
I was seriously ill in the back of one of these when on exercise in Snowdonia..thank God for the sick bag located behind the pilots seat.
Been in many of those while out on exercise...
Nice one getting one in 2021
Mate, it's funny that I was literally thinking of asking you if you wanted to come flying with me in an ex-french military SA342M1 Gazelle. It's currently going through de-militarization. but I'll defiantly give you a shout when it's done (probably next Summer)
That sounds like a plan! Definitely let me know :)
Im an army airtech from the late 70's living in France. I'll swop you a flight in the Gazelle for a session on the ranges with full functioning SLR, Browning 9 and a few other toys? pm me if interested please.
facebook.com/groups/veteransmallarmsuk
funky camo.
Why does this helicopter seem to be everyone's favourite!?? Are they not pretty well all the same? Does not look much different than a Bell 47...
They are just pretty cool and fun to fly in.
Fast,agile, reliable......cool look and sound
Is it true that single engine helicopters in the UK are VFR only?
I'm not sure myself but I know this one is!
how often does this helo need maintinace and a service?
All helicopters have set maintenance schedules in general and for specific parts. For example the Cabri has an oil change every 50 hours of flying.
Nice one, great content
So what’s the song?🤔
3:49... WH covering the engine noise with elevator music ?
Wow you lucky devil, would give my right arm to go up in one of those.. I Love them, the looks, the noise, just a wonderful aircraft....
First Helecopter I ever flew in 1970s.
What a great first one to fly!
@@TheMicroPilot not the pilot I'm afraid to say just a young squaddie rear seats removed nestling a GPMG 😁
@@alsdrone6250 Still pretty cool though!
hard to think the aircrafts probably older than the pilot .
I wish i could fly in a gazelle there amazing
Same! Maybe one day!
very beautifull.... i'd like to fly whit helicopter Gazelle
This video would be so much better with real flight audio instead of the completely inappropriate music!!! (Was there music playing when the video was being recorded?? Of course not!! So WHY did you add it!?)
Thank you for the arsey comment. If you'd of took less time writing stupid comments and more time reading the description, that would explain why!
Nice video but the music spoilt bits of it.
I know! If I had decent cockpit audio it wouldn't have been so bad!
Better without the muzic soundtrack.
Yes my apologies. The audio recording wasn't nice to listen to so the video was just better having music over the top.
I’m wasting my time with this comment three years after the video was posted but you lost me 2 seconds into the flight because of the music. It’s not the particular music, it’s music in general. You didn’t hear music on your flight so why would you burden us with it? Music, even a little detracts from the experience. And no, I’m not hitting the mute button because I want to hear the engine sound. Anyway, that’s my ranting for the day.
I completely understand where you are coming from, my apologies. I just worked the best with the footage I had trying to cater for the majority of people. Now I understand how to record the audio properly so I won't make a video this bad again!
The music is completely unnecessary.
Nice one! 👍 Now posted on Avia: www.aviafora.com/forums/forum/helicopter-fora/gazelles/343-shrieking-gazelles?p=10070#post10070
സൂപ്പർ
Get rid of the music not appropriate
how dare you fast forward the landing... how dare
Those vest 😂😂😂😂
Damn the edits are annoying on the startup, also whilst switching cameras keep a consistent sound track over it from the best camera ...... remove the bloody music....
Alex Yallop as I said at the start, I had many audio problems that day. I didn’t expect to go flying so I did what I could to make the video enjoyable. I have since bought the correct audio cables. Should be a better video coming sometime soon! Did the best I could with the video I had!
The MicroPilot ah ok mate did not read that, I will restrict my comment. Good for you going in a gazelle ! Very jealous my friend ......
Classified? 😂😂😂 Did he tell you that to sound cool? Ask me anything I’ll tell you. Trust me, it ain’t classified and there’s nothing on it from the military once it’s sold. Lol. The only secret thing on that would have been the encrypted radios they used.