Captain George Bellamy
Sadly George has passed away, though he passed peacefully in his sleep at the age of 97 on 26th December 2020 in France. His cremation was held a few days later according to his wishes, it was private service.
George will be well remembered I am sure by many. George will be known to folks as the pilot who flew his 707 at very low level at Biggin Hill, opening their 1970 air show. That famous image and his own commentary is included below for posterity. RIP
Service details
George's service has been held, a private event at his own request
George will be well remembered I am sure by many. George will be known to folks as the pilot who flew his 707 at very low level at Biggin Hill, opening their 1970 air show. That famous image and his own commentary is included below for posterity. RIP
Service details
George's service has been held, a private event at his own request
George Remembered
From Tony Rider: RIP Capt George Fly High
From Sally Simmonds: Very sorry to hear. Rest in peace.
From Geoffrey Cornwell
So sad to hear. Flew LGW-IAD-JFK-PHL-LGW in March 1970. On the return trip from PHL we were flying GAVTW in freighter configuration. We lost a tyre coming out of PHL but opted to continue with full emergency landing at LGW. Professionally handled by George but a stressful landing as LGW had short runway with barrier at the end to protect the men working on the runway extension.
From Christina Selmes: Such sad news. Lovely man have great memories of him from my Crewing days. RIP Captain Bellamy
From Caron Phillips: RIP and condolences to his family and friends
From Jenny Thomas: How sad, I remember him well. RIP
From Jeremy Berridge: He’ll be flying high from now on I’m sure, RIP
From Elaine Brown: RIP George. Happy memories of our flights together x
From Fee Flee: So sorry. Fly Free George xx
From Lynne Le Maitre: Such great memories of George back in the Britannia days in the 60’s. RIP George.xx
From Jackie Hebert: Rip Captain Bellamy
From Riaz Butt: RIP Captain.
From Graham Waters: R.I.P Capt George Bellamy.
From Thelma Riggans: Sad News - Captain George Bellamy was a legend. RIP.
From Nick Ridley: Sad news. I was at Biggin Hill and witnessed the low flypast !!
From John Bailey: Lovely to reach 97 yrs, what a Pilot he was...RIP Capt Bellamy
From Alan Reeves: A legend indeed, Rip George
From Coreen Wilcox: So sorry. Rest in peace Captain Bellamy. Condolences to his family.
From Joanna Dyckes: RIP another wonderful captain
From Beryl Mason: RIP Captain Bellamy..fly high
From Dick Holder
RIP Dear Captain George Bellamy an aviation legend, gentleman and friend to all he met. Like all former BCAL Crew, he had the spirit of the great team and the best airline ever. Sincere condolences to his family and friends
From Phil Cornford
I was there at Biggin Hill on that day and it is a sight that will never be repeated. George like so many of Caledonian Airways, later BCAL, aircrew was a great guy.
From Roy Shaw: I had many great flights with George, sincere condolences to his family
If you would like to leave a message in remembrance please drop me a line anytime at BCalatribute@outlook.com
Condolences have also been extended by:
Dave Thaxter, Alan Flower, Roger Warren, Paul Foster, Roma Carnegie, Richard Church, Jim Will, Marion Clamp, Sheila Williams Tyson, Lisa Pegler, John Lyons, John R Potter, Christine Jegu, John Morgan, Victor Attwood, Maria Shaw, Jacqueline Moremon, David Johnston Ostler, Debee Boerner, Domenico Palma Neto, Robert Bannerman, Janet Willis, Melissa Moremon, Geraldene Lambert, Wendy Loxley, Jackie Hebert, Adrian Ball, Richard Heywood, Dave Surry, Michael Selmes, Julie Nuttall, Derek Alstrom, Dudley Rice, Julie Hourigan, Adrian Evans, Pat Cresswell, Simon McIntosh, Stella Bassett, Jennifer Grail, Tina Harvey, Kris Massie, Lindsay Smith, Stephen Mason, Peter Durran, Andrea Bracey, Liz Rogers
From Tony Rider: RIP Capt George Fly High
From Sally Simmonds: Very sorry to hear. Rest in peace.
From Geoffrey Cornwell
So sad to hear. Flew LGW-IAD-JFK-PHL-LGW in March 1970. On the return trip from PHL we were flying GAVTW in freighter configuration. We lost a tyre coming out of PHL but opted to continue with full emergency landing at LGW. Professionally handled by George but a stressful landing as LGW had short runway with barrier at the end to protect the men working on the runway extension.
From Christina Selmes: Such sad news. Lovely man have great memories of him from my Crewing days. RIP Captain Bellamy
From Caron Phillips: RIP and condolences to his family and friends
From Jenny Thomas: How sad, I remember him well. RIP
From Jeremy Berridge: He’ll be flying high from now on I’m sure, RIP
From Elaine Brown: RIP George. Happy memories of our flights together x
From Fee Flee: So sorry. Fly Free George xx
From Lynne Le Maitre: Such great memories of George back in the Britannia days in the 60’s. RIP George.xx
From Jackie Hebert: Rip Captain Bellamy
From Riaz Butt: RIP Captain.
From Graham Waters: R.I.P Capt George Bellamy.
From Thelma Riggans: Sad News - Captain George Bellamy was a legend. RIP.
From Nick Ridley: Sad news. I was at Biggin Hill and witnessed the low flypast !!
From John Bailey: Lovely to reach 97 yrs, what a Pilot he was...RIP Capt Bellamy
From Alan Reeves: A legend indeed, Rip George
From Coreen Wilcox: So sorry. Rest in peace Captain Bellamy. Condolences to his family.
From Joanna Dyckes: RIP another wonderful captain
From Beryl Mason: RIP Captain Bellamy..fly high
From Dick Holder
RIP Dear Captain George Bellamy an aviation legend, gentleman and friend to all he met. Like all former BCAL Crew, he had the spirit of the great team and the best airline ever. Sincere condolences to his family and friends
From Phil Cornford
I was there at Biggin Hill on that day and it is a sight that will never be repeated. George like so many of Caledonian Airways, later BCAL, aircrew was a great guy.
From Roy Shaw: I had many great flights with George, sincere condolences to his family
If you would like to leave a message in remembrance please drop me a line anytime at BCalatribute@outlook.com
Condolences have also been extended by:
Dave Thaxter, Alan Flower, Roger Warren, Paul Foster, Roma Carnegie, Richard Church, Jim Will, Marion Clamp, Sheila Williams Tyson, Lisa Pegler, John Lyons, John R Potter, Christine Jegu, John Morgan, Victor Attwood, Maria Shaw, Jacqueline Moremon, David Johnston Ostler, Debee Boerner, Domenico Palma Neto, Robert Bannerman, Janet Willis, Melissa Moremon, Geraldene Lambert, Wendy Loxley, Jackie Hebert, Adrian Ball, Richard Heywood, Dave Surry, Michael Selmes, Julie Nuttall, Derek Alstrom, Dudley Rice, Julie Hourigan, Adrian Evans, Pat Cresswell, Simon McIntosh, Stella Bassett, Jennifer Grail, Tina Harvey, Kris Massie, Lindsay Smith, Stephen Mason, Peter Durran, Andrea Bracey, Liz Rogers
and here is George's recollection of that fly-by, in his own words
“We were positioning the plane to Prestwick and were supposed to hit the air show at 13:30 but on preparing the flight we couldn't find the technical log, one of the ground engineers, Charlie Hilton, had taken it to lunch with him!! Hasty steps to get it back and we took off.
As we were late I requested a rapid take off from one of the turn-off access ramps to runway 08 about half way down and clearance to ignore the noise limitations over Horley. As a result several members of the public in the terminal reported that we had crashed on take-off as we disappeared rapidly.
I arrived at Biggin at about 13:38 doing 380 knots IAS [about 440 mph] at 50 feet, I saw several helicopters and Ray Hannah's Spitfire close to the runway threshold and throttled right back so as not to blow them about and flew silently along the line of the runway faster than any aircraft has gone before or probably since at Biggin. A steep turn at the end completed the show and we departed for Prestwick.”
And below, we have George arriving at Biggin Hill in AWWD with the helicopters and Spitfire close to the runway threshold.
“We were positioning the plane to Prestwick and were supposed to hit the air show at 13:30 but on preparing the flight we couldn't find the technical log, one of the ground engineers, Charlie Hilton, had taken it to lunch with him!! Hasty steps to get it back and we took off.
As we were late I requested a rapid take off from one of the turn-off access ramps to runway 08 about half way down and clearance to ignore the noise limitations over Horley. As a result several members of the public in the terminal reported that we had crashed on take-off as we disappeared rapidly.
I arrived at Biggin at about 13:38 doing 380 knots IAS [about 440 mph] at 50 feet, I saw several helicopters and Ray Hannah's Spitfire close to the runway threshold and throttled right back so as not to blow them about and flew silently along the line of the runway faster than any aircraft has gone before or probably since at Biggin. A steep turn at the end completed the show and we departed for Prestwick.”
And below, we have George arriving at Biggin Hill in AWWD with the helicopters and Spitfire close to the runway threshold.
