AS YOU MAY HAVE PICKED UP in my previous articles, I love flying, but I also enjoy the people aspect of the work just as much. Years ago, when I first signed up to be a pilot at the Protea Coin Group, I worked under Waal de Waal, the COO at the time. Waal, or Delta Whiskey, as he’s affectionately known to his ex-101 Romeo Mike battalion compadres, is a man who learnt the importance of rescue first-hand. While in the army way back when, he accidentally triggered a POMZ anti-personnel mine somewhere beyond the northern border of South West Africa. After being carried on a makeshift stretcher for many miles, he was casevaced by Puma.
“We never leave a man behind,” became one of his mantras and something he was fond of repeating during security operations. I too took it to heart, which leads me to my topic this month: Rescue.
A few years ago, I was introduced to Greg Critchley, an interesting fellow who works as a radar controller for Air Traffic and Navigation Services at OR Tambo International Airport. He’s the guy who looks at your radar dot on his screen and tells you where to go on Joburg North frequency. His other job is as the ARCC (Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre) deputy chief.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2022-Ausgabe von SA Flyer Magazine.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2022-Ausgabe von SA Flyer Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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SACRIFICE
John continues his anecdotes about the sacrifices he has had to make in the course of his helicopter bush flying career.
KENYA - SAA PARTNERSHIP DELAY
KENYA AIRWAYS AND South African Airways announced the establishment of a highly anticipated Pan-African Airline Group three years ago.
TO PARIS FOR LUNCH
One morning I arrived back at Lanseria from a two day charter to a dreary Northern Cape iron mine. Entering the terminal, I removed my wings and epaulets, thrust them into my flight bag, and headed for the restaurant.
ASCA'S MPUMI MPOFU: READY FOR TAKE-OFF
Ms Mpumi Mpofu has occupied the hot seat as Chief Executive of ACSA, the Airports Company of South Africa for a tumultuous past four years.
HYDROGEN POWERED PLANE TESTED
WORLD’S LARGEST liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft, using a 1 MW fuel cell engine, has been tested.
CAMEROON - BLAMES BOEING
BOEING JUST CANNOT STAY out of trouble. It has become the whipping boy for endless absurd claims.
IRIS GOES TO SOMALIA
Having spent the last couple of years flying to a rota, I was thoroughly enjoying the freedom and randomness of flying charters at Sunbird Aviation.
TELEPORTATION
One of the best clients for whom I ever flew was BP, the British oil giant. I was with them in Algeria for about seven years, from the very start of their large gas projects, right in the heart of the Sahara Desert, near the small towns of In Amenas and In Salah.
FEBRUARY 2023
February has shown steady growth in the number of aircraft registered. Four fixed wing and one helicopter were added while the non-type certified (NTCA) register grew by seven.
RIGHT SEAT RULES NO. 16 FUEL SYSTEMS WHY SO COMPLICATED?
You know those aggranoying people who say, “Oh I wouldn't fly in one of those little things - you can't just pull over and fix it if something goes wrong\"? What makes this particularly irritating is that the bastards are right.