VH-BRI (2)  Sikorsky S-61N                                (c/n  61242)

                               

                                      This machine was purchased by Ansett-ANA new at the end of 1964, and Greg Banfield's shot
                                      above was taken at Essendon at that time before it was dispatched north to the Barrier Reef islands.
                                      It was initially allocated the trade-plate registration VH-FCV, but this was not taken up, the big
                                      chopper becoming VH-BRI instead.    Named 'Golden Islander' it was used on the Proserpine-
                                      Hayman Island tourist run starting in 1965.    Other than a charter to Bristow Helicopters in 1977
                                      it was used by Ansett until 1984 when it was sold off, ostensibly to Grecoair in the US. This trans-
                                      action did not go through and it was subsequently sold to Barrack Aviation Services Pty Ltd and
                                      re-registered VH-BHO    It was used, along with VH-BHJ (ex VH-BRH) in 1986/87 on flights
                                      between Fremantle and Rottnest Island to cover the America's Cup regatta.   In 1988 it was sold
                                      to Carson Helicopters,  Inc of Perkasie, PA and registered N116AZ.    It was either re-shipped
                                      out to Australia, or had stayed there all along, (I am not sure) but, in the event, was operated by
                                      Helicopters Victoria out of Albury, NSW for fire-fighting during the 2003/2004 bushfire season. 
                                      George Canciani took the shot of it as N116AZ (below) at Essendon in March 2004.    Anyway,
                                      by July of 2004 it was back in the US fighting forest fires in Arizona.   It is still current as N116AZ
                                      and is owned by a company headquartered close to my abode here in eastern North Carolina.