ANDREW BUSBY HELICOPTER PILOT AND DESTINATION SPEAKER

 

As a young lad I became fascinated by helicopters after seeing pictures in a boy’s annual I received for Christmas. This sparked my interest in pursuing a flying career, and with this in mind I walked into my local Army Careers Office aged 18, but somehow ended up in a Cavalry Regiment as a Tank Commander! During my time with the Regiment I served as part of the UN peace keeping force in Cyprus commanding a Ferret Scout Car. I also spent some time in Berlin as a member of the Armoured Squadron, which during the cold war was a unique experience and something I can share with you. Determined to achieve my aim of flying I applied for The Army Pilots Course, passed selection and was awarded my wings in 1978. There followed tours in Germany and Northern Ireland, until deciding to continue my career as a civilian pilot, I obtained a position based in Aberdeen flying Super Puma Helicopters in support of the oil industry. I then tried my hand as a Commercial Airline Pilot with British Midland flying DC 9s out of London Heathrow. However I decided I preferred the challenge of helicopter flying and returned to the North Sea, becoming a Training Captain and CRM (Crew Resource Management) Facilitator, which allowed me to hone my presentation skills. Some years and thousands of hours later, I changed tack and became an Air Ambulance and Police Pilot. After several years of the most rewarding flying and with some remarkable tales to tell I was offered a position in Norway, transferring Sea Pilots on and off of oil and gas tankers, often winching to the ship’s deck in pitch darkness and extreme weather conditions. This came to an abrupt halt when the aircraft I was flying crashed! But that’s another story I tell. Since then I have supplied expert opinion to the legal profession as an Aviation Consultant and also pursued my interest in Amateur Dramatics performing in over 20 productions during the last six years. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences and interests with you in the near future.

 

TOPICS:

 

Airborne Angels: Flying an Air Ambulance

 

Helicopter Flying: How not to do it, a survivor's perspective

 

The evolution of Helicopter Flight: Children’s toy to versatile flying machine

 

Soldiers in the skies: Balloons to Tank Busters

 

Conquering the skies: The story of Flight

 

Berlin: A divided City!

 

Bermuda Triangle: Fact or fiction?

 

Gilbert and Sullivan: Victorian Musical Theatre

 

Destinations:  Cyprus : An island divided; Venice; Florence; Rome; Vesuvius and Pompeii; Monte Carlo; Barcelona; Malaga; Gibralta; Corfu; Split; Canary Islands