Press releases
The G-Lynx, a modified Westland Lynx, which holds the helicopter world speed record was presented with a prestigious Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Engineering Heritage Award yesterday, Thursday 25 September.
The G-Lynx, based at the Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare, broke the world record when it reached 249.09mph flying a 9.3 mile course over the Somerset Levels on 11 August 1986. The record remains unbroken to this day.
Previous Engineering Heritage Award recipients include Mallard locomotive, Concorde and the Jaguar E-type.
The Award was presented by John Wood, Chairman of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Heritage Committee to the Helicopter Museum’s Founder Elfan Ap Rees, G-Lynx’s pilot Trevor Egginton, as well as Brendan Burr and Benjamin Tooth from AgustaWestland who helped restore the helicopter.
John Wood, Chairman of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Heritage Committee, said:
“The G-Lynx helicopter is a remarkable example of British engineering and vision. It is testament to the cutting-edge modifications made to the helicopter, that the world speed record still stands 28 years later.
“This award is in recognition of all the people involved in making the 1986 record possible, but also to the AgustaWestland apprentices who restored the helicopter in 2011 and the Helicopter Museum who continue to maintain the craft in such excellent condition.”
.jpg?sfvrsn=6dfd1412_0 "Speed Record Lynx (Custom)")
Elfan Ap Rees, the Helicopter Museum’s Founder, said:
“We are delighted that G-LYNX and those who developed the technology to make this a world achievement have been recognised with this award. Many people don't realise how this county can still lead the world in aviation engineering excellence; G-LYNX and this award will set that straight.”
The G-Lynx is the 99th recipient of an Engineering Heritage Awards and the first helicopter to be given an Award. The helicopter is a modified Westland Lynx helicopter originally built as a demonstrator craft. Westland heavily modified the helicopter in 1985 in an attempt to beat the World Speed Record for a Helicopter.
New, more powerful 1,200 shp Rolls-Royce Gem 60 engines were added, as were newly-designed blades which allowed the helicopter to fly at high speed without suffering from the problems of blade stall.
With Westland's Chief Test Pilot, Trevor Egginton, at the controls and Flight Test Engineer Derek Clews alongside, the helicopter broke the world speed record that had previously been held by a Russian Mil Mi-24 'Hind' helicopter.
In 2011, a team of AgustaWestland apprentices completed a four-year restoration programme of the helicopter, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the world record being broken.