Since the beginning of powered flight, pilots have had one unifying dread – a dead stick landing. I’VE READ MANY ACCOUNTS of the perilous early days of United States airmail flying in the 1920s like how Charles Lindbergh would have to land his de Havilland DH-4 on a short stretchRead More →
American fighter pilot Col. Robin Olds stood by the mantra “preparedness wins the battle.” He should have known, becoming a triple ace in the Vietnam sky while flying 152 missions in Southeast Asia in an F-4 Phantom jet, a pig of a dog-fighter. IN THE GUN-TOTING MIG-INFESTED North, he sharpenedRead More →
I’m often asked whether our air-to-ground operations in the security industry make a real difference. Granted, the media seems to bombard us almost daily with accounts of another cash in transit vehicle bombed or courier van hijacked. BAD NEWS SELLS. But without good-news accounts, we may as well just hide-outRead More →
When I first signed up to be a pilot, I dreamed of flying to exotic place where I might alight in jungle clearings or land on deserted, silvery shores. HOWEVER REALITY SOON KICKED IN, and I found myself shuttling clients to work, tracking stolen vehicles and chasing crooks in theRead More →
It seems that the more I fly, the more I see how much I still need to learn (about flying). Learning takes on many forms in the cockpit and it always seems easier when you have a great teacher. Interestingly, and here comes a real bit of ancient wisdom, youRead More →
Despite enduring a world-changing pandemic in 2020 and facing an uncertain future, I suspect it’s nothing compared to living in a country at war. Which is what I found myself contemplating recently as I flew what is now a civilian version of a South African military stalwart, the Aérospatiale Alouette III. “My favourite helicopterRead More →
The December holiday season in South Africa can be a most merry time, full of braais, cooling off around the pool and slow, special moments with family. For me the December break is also a great opportunity for extra flying. Not only is the security industry at its busiest, keepingRead More →
This month I’m taking a slightly different tack to my normal – away from the adrenaline of playing cops and robbers – to show a different side of flying: The beautiful side. Whenever I have the opportunity to take someone on their first helicopter flight, I start by explaining aRead More →
Most of the time, flying helicopters is pretty mundane. I cruise overhead, busy with a particular project or task and watch people commute to work, from my little cockpit office. You see, helicopter pilots are normal people too, you know! We have jobs, homes and families, gardens, pets and allRead More →
