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Capt K Sivaraman
- President EAA Malaysia –Chapter 1090 |
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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 |
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