19th May 1990

This was one of the most frightening experiences I have ever had in my flying career, and a very funny story in the pub afterwards -as they always are in hindsight.

NAC in Port Elizabeth had just done a major overhaul on both engines of a Piper Aztec ZS-PHW which was based in nearby Grahamstown. The engineer who was responsible for most of the work (Jeremy Blanford) phoned and asked if I would like to do the test flight, volunteering to join me. I always think it is a good idea to...
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APRIL 1994

I was one of those that got his PPL before his driver’s licence and often had to ride the old bicycle out to the airfield to fly.  But I got into the work scene and ended up at Grand Central working for a real and proper schyster (no names no packdrill).  All things being what they are, I came into a little bit of dosh and felt that perhaps I needed to do a conversion onto something with VP prop and retracts.  First option was a Mooney 201, which quickly got binned when th...

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Her A/c at FAVG (see my story)
Cape    Record    Confirmed    The Royal Aero Club were last week able to state the actual times (subject to FAI confirmation) of Miss Sheila Scott's attempt on the London - Cape Town record. The 6,017 miles between London Heathrow and Cape Town Malan airports were flown, between July 6 and 9, in an elapsed time of 74hr 14min 39sec at an average speed of 81.05 m.p.h. The flight in the Piper Comanche 260 beat Mrs Amy Molli- son's 1936 record by 4hr 13min 21sec. Th...
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CLEARED TO LAND
Flying in India can be challenging at times (in fact most of the time!) ATC's most favourite word is "standby" or "say again." It is guaranteed every single time you ask for anything they will tell you to standby. When it comes to vectoring for an ILS they are not too bad, but unfortunately they are useless at mundane stuff like giving you landing clearance.

Here are a few Indian ATC stories.

When I was flying 320’s in Muscat for Oman Air we used to have a turnaround in Trivand...
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According to my logbook this happened on the 15th July 1967 - I had just turned thirteen!

We were on a trip in South Africa from Port Elizabeth to Durban and then Johannesburg back to PE.

My logbook entries are as follows -

7th July PE - East London  1'20"
             EL - Durban           2"25"

We attended an airshow at Virginia airport and Shelia Scott arrived in her Comanche having just set
a non-stop record from the UK to Cape Town. I think she was the first female in a single and the
fastes...
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