I am a Total Airplane Nut
I learned how to fly at Kuala Lumpur’s Flying Club
in1972. I was seventeen. My first flying Instructor at the Club was
an RAF bloke who had a kind of restrained turn of wit which he employed
in flying instruction and insisted on calling me
Bloggs..
I continued my career as a Flying Instructor logging
some 4000 hrs in light airplanes including a stint flying in the bush
in Borneo in the Britten Norman Islander aircraft which was highly challenging.
1600hrs and an endearing love for the Bush.
With Malaysia Airlines since 1977, I flew the venerable
Fokker F27 turboprop for ten years as Captain logging 5500 hrs. My left
ear is nearly gone from the whine of those Rolls Royce Darts.
At the same time I continued to Instruct rookies at
the Club, which I enjoy very much.
I was the Club Captain and CFI at The Royal Selangor
Flying Club, from 1985 to1995.
I am a designated check Airman on behalf of the Dept
of Civil Aviation Malaysia.
I have been flying Jet Transports as a Captain since
1989….B737’s (200,300&400’s), Airbus A300, DC10,s, B747-200/300 and
now B747-400’s…..17 000hrs
Not enough !!!
In 1985, Ultralight Flying Machines were introduced
in Malaysia and I checked out on MX-Quicksilvers. I also checked out
as an Instructor on them.
In 1990 I organized a team from Malaysia to take part
in the Paris to Langkawi Air Race as part of the effort to promote Visit
Malaysia Year 1990. I was Navigation Leader for a flight of 3 Cessna
402B’s. My personal ship was Spirit of Malaysia
2 9M-AYS.
The Race was fun and I have been hoping to do something
like that again.
In 1992, I visited Oshkosh for the first time in a
gaggle of five Cessnas flying from Dallas, Texas to Oshkosh. I was number
75 in the circuit to land at Oshkosh!
At Oshkosh, I was the proverbial kid in the candy
shop.
I ordered myself a kit airplane, the Merlin which
is a tube and fabric bush plane. I also picked up a starter kit to start
an EAA Chapter in Malaysia….and came home.
Our EAA Chapter 1090 was incorporated in 1993 and
to date we have 40 members. I have been the Chapter President since
while my beloved wife, Rani, has been Secretary. My Merlin was built
and completed in 1996 and presently I operate it from a friend’s bush
strip in his estate.
Our most important program in our EAA Chapter is the
Young Eagles Program where we conduct familiarization flights for kids
8 to 18.
I have a daughter in University, who I taught how
to fly and who achieved her private pilots license at 17. My son goes
to college in the US and will be learning how to fly there, preferably
he says on a P51 Mustang!
Hope this information gives you some idea of my Passion
for Flight and why I would love to be on the Great Ultralight Rally
from Paris to Beijing.
My Airline flying buddies think I’m nuts.
Siva
1st November, 2001
