Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Discussion of topics related to corporate aviation throughout the world.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore

Post Reply
bizjets101
Rank 10
Rank 10
Posts: 2105
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by bizjets101 »

He actually had two Hawkers based in the Innotech Hangar at YYZ.

The first one was VP-BDH Hawker 400A - I actually had a question about this one.

If I recall correctly, it was parked overnight on a ramp in Costa Rica, another aircraft which I thought was a B707, however I've read it was a DC-6 - in the middle of the night - the DC-6 which wheels weren't chocked - began to roll - slamming into the Hawker.

Just wonder if anyone can confirm what aircraft was involved, a DC-6, or B707?

Apparently it was fixed, but by then EP Taylor had bought a new Hawker 600B also VP-BDH and then re-registered C6-BDH. This Hawker was destroyed in a landing accident with a Mexican registration XA-KUT, it clipped power lines landing at Hobby Airport - the power lines were 70 feet off the ground, and 6,500 feet from the runway!!

Anyone know what EP Taylor had after the Hawkers??

The Company name was Norwest S.A. Ltd. that owned the jets. His 600B was painted in the turquoise colour - like Steven Roman's first Gulfstream II CF-SBR.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._P._Taylor
---------- ADS -----------
 
bizjets101
Rank 10
Rank 10
Posts: 2105
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by bizjets101 »

Any one familiar with Conrad Black and Argus Corporation, well EP Taylor was the founder of Argus. Photos courtesy of 64N21W.

All his jets had Bermuda registrations but were based in the Skyport/Innotech hangar at YYZ.

Hawker 400A VP-BDH was at YYZ from 1970 to 1974 until it was substantially damaged in San Jose, Costa Rica when a DC-6 parked without chocks, rolled into it in the middle of the night.

Image

Hawker 600B arrived 1974 and stayed until 1980, it arrived as VP-BDH, but all the Bermudan registrations were changed from VP-B__ , to C6-___ .

Image

And I'd forgotten all about his Hawker 700B C6-BET, it arrived in 1979 and remained until his death in 1991.

Image
---------- ADS -----------
 
Last edited by bizjets101 on Tue Oct 12, 2010 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PanEuropean
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 389
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:03 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by PanEuropean »

The colours on the jet were chosen because they matched the silks his jockeys wore when racing thoroughbreds.

Michael
---------- ADS -----------
 
dogdocnance
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu May 28, 2020 4:18 pm

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by dogdocnance »

My dad Norman Lowry was E P Taylor's chief pilot and flew all his planes from 1968 till the final one was sold in about 1991. He began with EP flying a merlin prop plane (I believe...sorry, I'm not in aviation) and then they moved onto the Hawker jets. I remember all the jets pictured. I clearly remember the night my father called from Costa Rica to say he'd be delayed in his return trip as the jet had been heavily damaged by another plane that had "rolled into it". He never flew that particular plane again. I believe it was repaired and sold...I heard to comedian Bob Hope but not sure that is true. EP purchased a new Hawker and moved on from the incident. My dad flew for EP til his death in 1989 and then for his children (primarily his son Charles) until the family decided to sell the airplane in, I believe, 1991 or 1992, when my father retired. To my knowledge the family has never owned an aircraft since.
EP and, as a result, my family lived much of the year in the Bahamas and I think that is where the aircraft were registered. Norwest Aviation was the company, run by my dad, that managed the aircraft. The turquoise and gold color was definitely picked since that was indeed the racing colors for EP's Windfield's Farm thoroughbreds. The one plane was gold and I can't remember exactly why. If anyone is interested I will ask my dad.
The Taylor family were wonderful people. My father loved his job with them. I had the pleasure of flying in all the jets pictured, mostly from Toronto, Canada to Nassau, Bahamas. EP often traveled on holidays, especially Christmas, to see family which would have meant that my father was away from us on those holidays. Fortunately EP let my family tag along in the jet so we could be with dad. My father just had to make sure me and my brother sat quietly in the back and didn't disturb the big guy on the trip!
---------- ADS -----------
 
dogdocnance
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu May 28, 2020 4:18 pm

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by dogdocnance »

Can anyone tell me how to get copies of these pictures of the jets ? My father is very elderly and lives in a nursing home. He would love them! Thanks!
---------- ADS -----------
 
PanEuropean
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 389
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:03 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by PanEuropean »

Right-click on the images above, and select "Open in new window". The images will then open without the Photobucket branding across the middle, and you can then download them.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Capt. Underpants
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 333
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:04 am

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by Capt. Underpants »

dogdocnance wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 4:54 pm Can anyone tell me how to get copies of these pictures of the jets ? My father is very elderly and lives in a nursing home. He would love them! Thanks!
My mom did bookkeeping for Mr. Taylor in the late 50’s and 60’s and was there when he got that first aircraft. I’d be willing to bet she was a passenger on a few trips with your father. She loved to tell stories about those VIP flights to attend races in the US. I met Mr. Taylor and his wife when I was about 12. They were very nice folks.
---------- ADS -----------
 
TheHawk1901
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:14 am

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by TheHawk1901 »

I flew for EP Taylor and his family for 15 years and flew both C6-BDH and C6-BET with Norm. Both airplanes registered in the Bahamas. The reason C6-BDH was yellow and brown is because EP Taylor did not buy it new. After the Hawker 400 was crushed in Costa Rica he needed an aircraft quickly. C6-BET he bought new and was in the Windfield Farms racing colours. When C6-BET was sold it went to an oil company in Russia.
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
Castorero
Rank 4
Rank 4
Posts: 276
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:51 pm

Re: Anybody remember EP Taylors Hawker VP-BDH based YYZ???

Post by Castorero »

Ah yes... E.P. Taylor, never met him , but I have heard stories...

In the mid 1950's Walton Killam died, and EP Taylor, H.R. MacMillan and another illustrious BC lumberman
found themselves in the same limo, somewhere in the funeral cortege, behind the hearse.

Now, Killam, easily the richest man in Canada at the time, was well known to this trio, as a tightwad.
They used to joke that he was going to take it all with him when he died.

Well, as the cortege moved along, quite by chance, a Brinks truck pulled in from a side street and joined the procession.

They couldn't believe their eyes, and one of them exclaimed,"look! HE IS !!! going to take it all with him "

This story came from an old horse's mouth, and it was always followed by a long hearty laugh at Killam's expense.

Killam was a financial legend and he was childless , which probably accounted for his stinginess. Kids have a way to train you out of that in short order. Their hands are always in your pockets...

Anyway, there is a happy ending to this story, as Killam died intestate, and in due course, the Canadian Government lifted 50% of his estate's value in the way of death taxes.

This money was used to start the Canada Council, and that was a very good thing indeed.

Killam's wife Dorothy, was the polar opposite of her husband and donated several fortunes in the years after Killam's death. Her generosity continues still , with the endowment of the Killam Trusts which is rumored to be around half a Billion today, funding worthy undertakings around Canada in perpetuity.

But, back to EP Taylor. He founded Argus Corp and raised and raced some mighty fine horseflesh.

This alone is worth a long read.

Find out how scoundrel extraordinaire Conrad Black fits into this story...my blood pressure prevents me to go further...
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “Corporate”