EVACUATOR

I have had a lot of fun during this past few years of flying. I have sneaked a Twin Otter out of Algeria, over Libya, to Tripoli and thence, across the Mediterranean, to the historic twinkling jewel box of Malta, at night.

- HUGH PRYOR

IT WAS AN EXCITING start to a ferry flight, right down the length of the world's longest river, the Nile.

When we finally arrived at the headwaters of that mighty waterway, the southern reaches of the Nile were to be our home for a couple of months, while we flew the sturdy old Twin Otter in support of the United Nations World Food Programme.

We were bringing food and other essential supplies to a population starved by twenty seven years of civil war. When I say 'we' I mean my crew and I and when I say 'my crew' I mean JP, our greatly valued engineer and Chrystal, my Senior Co-pilot who was hovering on the brink of command.

JP was one of those engineers whom I trusted implicitly. If he said it was OK to fly, I'd fly it, without question, even if there were bits missing. If he said it was NOT okay, then I wouldn't touch it, even if my wife told me to!

The pleasure of flying with Chrystal was something I had not experienced before. She was from that tragic disaster area, Zimbabwe. She still referred to it as her home, although her family had been dispossessed, along with so many other unfortunates who dared to disagree with the megalomaniac pensioner whose regime brought that once prosperous and envied nation to its knees.

Chrystal was a gentle tom-boy. Her tough exterior was at odds with the delicate fineness of her hands and fingers. The 'Number One' haircut failed In its attempt to disguise the attractive femininity of her face, but there could be no doubt about the strength in her shoulders. Her trim, loose-limbed figure obviously worked for a living. Her laughter was generally reined in by shyness, but when it got out, it tickled my ribs from the inside. The pleasure of hearing it was only enhanced by its rarity. I could go on, but....well... what I really meant to say all along was that Chrystal was a genius at the books!