Alan Bristow

Alan Edgar Bristow, OBE, FRAeS (3 September 1923 – 26 April 2009)[1] founded one of the world's largest helicopter service companies, Bristow Helicopters Ltd, which prospered primarily in the international oil and mineral exploration and extraction industries, but also spread into search and rescue, peacekeeping and other fields.

[1] After World War II broke out, on his 16th birthday in 1940 Bristow joined the British-India Steam Navigation Company as a deck officer cadet.

Engaged by the former RAF fighter ace Douglas Bader, his company became highly profitable and Bristow a wealthy man.

In the 1960s, Bristow sold a stake in his business to a consortium led by Freddie Laker, having tossed a coin in the course of an extended lunch to decide the valuation of the shares.

[1] Bristow Helicopters Ltd eventually expanded to cover most of the globe outside Russia and Alaska, with notable profit centres in the British North Sea, Nigeria, Iran, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Bristow withdrew his bid in June 1985, by which time Westland preferred an agreement with the American company Sikorsky Aircraft.

However, the Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine MP demanded a "European" solution, and resigned spectacularly after a cabinet row to create the Westland Affair.