VH-UTX Bell
47G-3B-1
(c/n 6510)
VH-UTX was registered in March 1966 to Helicopter Utilities, of
Sydney, a major helicopter
operator that
also flew under the Airfast name, especially overseas. When David
Carter photo-
graphed it as Mascot in 1969 it
was in the company’s all yellow livery and marked Helicopter
Utilities.
In July 1974 it was moved to the PNG
register as P2-UTX with Airfast at Port
Moresby before returning to Australia in September 1981.
–UTX was damaged beyond
repair
near Well Tree Station, Northern Territory, when a sudden loss of
engine power during
a scenic flight
forced it down in a swamp. The pilot and two
passengers survived. It is
believed the
Bell was normally used for cattle mustering.
Note: From October 2001 to
June 2005 there was another Bell 47G registered VH-UTX,
a 1970 built 47G-5A with c/n 25152
. It was a former Royal Malaysian Air Force machine
and later became VH-CKN.