Not their Finest Hours

Jim Davis has a passion for instructing. He has been training civil and military pilots, in the air and on the ground for 50 years. His other passion is writing, which he studied at Curtin University in Perth. You can see, and buy, his two pilot text books PPL and Flight Tests at www.jimdavis.com.au

I have just realized that before I tell you about my new life as a commercial pilot in Kimberley, I have stories about some extraordinary things that were going on around us at that time.

These did not leap out of my logbook demanding to be told because many of them are not about my flights, they are about things that happened to other pilots. Anyhow here we go.

Alberto and the Six

Alberto was a kind-hearted soul. Unfortunately he also possessed two qualities which don’t sit well with flight safety: self-adoration and terminal stupidity. Perhaps the god who looks after old ladies and student pilots extended her guardianship to include Alberto–but only for a while–as a reward for his kindly disposition.

One hesitates to speak ill of ones fellow pilots, but his record is testimony to his aeronautical incompetence. I would not leave him in charge my wheelbarrow. However, there were others who didn’t share my scepticism, because he was employed as a fairly senior pilot by TAM (Transportes Aeréos de Moçambique).

I was a humble hangar-rat and aircraft salesman at Placo. On this occasion, it was my duty to demonstrate the new and amazing Cherokee Six to Alberto whilst Old Piet spoke with the board.

Alberto turned up an hour late. He