AeroExpo San Jose dos Campos, Brazil 2011

Buy one get one free?

This R44 was on the BMW booth at the San Jose dos Campos Show - it struck me that the idea was if you bought a BMW you would get an R44 thrown in.
The R66 had a lot of interest here in Brazil and I was told (not by the dealer mind you) that 60 had already been sold. Claudio Agostini, from Rotor and Wing and a Sao Paulo local, tells me that in Brazil you have to halve everything you are told and then divide by four - so shall we guess 5 or 6 possible orders?

Sao Paulo street art

This is just around the corner from the Pet Hotel - nice ' eh . A place that has images like this and a pet hotel has got to be great. I'm looking forward to what I discover next.

Sao Paulo Brazil 13th Jul y 2011

Well, here I am having arrived safely in Sao Paulo. Interestingly even I, normally so calm about travelling, was jinked up about SP. People kept telling me how dangerous it was - I mustn't drive alone; must be careful where I go... etc etc... well so far (with my experience of 5 and a half hours!) I would say that is rubbish. I haven't been hassled at all - would India were so easy, and everybody I have asked about things has been kind and helpful. I took the airport bus from Guarulhos and it was easy, clean, comfortable and quick. Quick may be because this is holiday season and so no traffic.

Now I am at my hotel, waiting for a room to come free. That is not their fault, only the flight from London gets in at 5am, and check in at most hotels in midday. Tant pis.

San Jose dos Campos tomorrow - I noticed I could have taken a bus there too from the airport - so really no need to hire cars if you know .... trouble is getting to know... more tomorrow.

Chinook Aerobatics at AeroExpo 2011

This looks easy until you realise he is actually going backwards.

This was the Chinook display at AeroExpo 2011, a very good display inspite of horrible weather and heavy showers, which must have made just getting to the show pretty difficult.

I doubt this ever looks easy or is

OH-6A Differences Training

This is the OH-6a, the Vietnam War version of the MD500. It has some differences but it looks just the same. When this gets together with the Huey and the Cobra it is going to make a brilliant show - let's hope it happens and the Campaign Against Aviation doesn't find a way to stop it...

Preston Lancs, OH-6A Flight

Did a differences course on a OH-6A today. Difference, that is, from the H369/500 - actually not that many and some of them are OH-6A back-to-front, as it were. You fly the OH-6 from the right side but the 500/369 from the left. Both the anti-ice and the heater are push pull instead of pull push in the OH-6, as to the doors - if you don't believe me take a look- they close where normal doors open. Of course, most times in Vietnam they left the doors off!
I'll post some photos - but the last few days have been such a whirlwind of activity that I don't have my card reader with me and so will have to do the photos at home.

Paris Le Bourget airshow Day Two

The big thing of the day was that Agusta Westland have bought Bell out of the AW609, and will now have 100% ownership of the civilian model. Bell, however, retain the rites to the V-22 Osprey, the military model. Intellectual property looks to be retained by Bell, so it may be this is some kind of licence effect.
Work on this division of the ownership and continuing development rites of the 609 has been going on for over a year, and has now been satisfactorially resolved. AW wants it, Bell does not...

As a leaving present the AW CEO gave John Garrison - Bell CEO a 609 in the Finmeccanica colours. Could that have been painful for JG?