Page 30 - World Airnews Magazine January 2021 Edition

NEWS NEWS

FIRST BLACK AFRICAN began my adventure in the Far East, based flying into Kai Tak on the B747, it was still as my career to fly a B747-400 aircraft to its

at Kai Tak airport.

exhilarating. The thing about Kai Tak was
final retirement resting place. We flew
that pilots of airliners were always extra
from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and then
CAPTAIN AT CATHAY PACIFIC WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE OF FLYING cautious landing there, because of the the next day to Pinal airport in Arizona.

THE B747-400 AND THE B747-8?
mountain on approach and the displaced
The aircraft was a previously owned by

So, differences in flying characteristics

to the degree of difficulty it sometimes

between the B747-400 and the B747-8? If I runway threshold; it is fascinating that, due South African Airways as a passenger jet,
registered as ZS-SAV. Cathay Pacific pur-
go back to the original B747-100 that I first presented, there were not many aircraft chased it and converted it to a Freighter

flew; I'd say the B747-100 seemed perfectly incidents at the airport. or B747-400BCF in 2007, registered in

hen Captain Obet Mazinyi balanced in terms of thrust to weight ratio, Hong Kong as B-HUR. In 2017, it was

Wfi rst landed a job in Hong it really handled very well. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ROUTE IN finally retired and I flew it to Pinal Air Park,

Kong in 1991, he was the only Black African The B747-400 is obviously bigger and has THE CATHAY SYSTEM? Marana, in Arizona. A second memorable

pilot in Hong Kong. Today Obet is a senior a modified wing, it is a lot more sensitive I flew the B747-400 passenger services for moment was in 2016, when I delivered

instructor and examiner/check Captain in lateral control but still a beauty to 11 years until they were discontinued in Cathay Pacific Airways last Boeing 747-8

with Cathay Pacific, on the Boeing 747- fly. The B747- 8 is certainly smoother to 2016. My favourite route was always Hong from Boeing field in Seattle to Hong Kong.

400ERF and Boeing 747-8. control than the B747-400. Its only subtle Kong to San Francisco. Now I only fly the It was iconic as her very first landing was
Captain Obet has a huge and loyal fol- but experienced B747 pilots can certainly Freighter version of the B747-400, and of in Hong Kong, on runway 25R, a proud
lowing on Instagram. He takes his followers discern the slight differences. Truth be told, course the B747-8, and enjoy the regional moment for me indeed.

right into the Boeing 747 flight deck, where they are all amazing aircraft to handle and route to Singapore and Penang. Long Haul, I

he regularly shares nuggets of knowledge I'm happy to fly any of them. enjoy trips to Miami and New York. ANY ADVICE OR WISE WORDS TO

about the much loved jumbo. IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO START FUTURE AVIATORS?
In this interview he shares a detailed and DID YOU DO ANY KAI TAK LANDINGS? ALL OVER AGAIN, WOULD YOU STILL My advice to future aviators is this: Fly

fascinating account of his flying story. HOW WAS IT? CHOOSE TO BE A PILOT? aircraft with enthusiasm and review

GIVE US YOUR BACKGROUND As I mentioned before, I was based at Kai Ha! If I had to do all this again, I would do procedures at least once every day, even
if it is only for 10 minutes. Remember
Tak and flew into the airport on B707 and

I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe with my B747's. The Boeing 707 coming into Kai Tak it the same without a second thought; why also that the best aircraft in the world is
would anyone want to do anything else
roots going all the way to Wedza district of runway 13 was sometimes a challenge in a other than get airborne?! I would however always the aircraft that you happen to

Zimbabwe. Although I am from Zimbabwe, strong crosswind. A pilot could not fly into like to have had the opportunity to fly to be currently flying; if you fly a Cessna,

quite a large chunk of my education was Kai Tak unless they had first observed an space as well. I'm fascinated by spaceflight then that is the best aircraft in the sky.

in Zambia. In the mid 1960's, my parents approach on the jump seat in the aircraft, and the Universe in general, I do a lot of When you change aircraft to another

moved to Zambia. I’ve been happily then spent time in simulator sessions. star gazing too! type, then that will become the best

married to my lovely wife Persy for 29 Finally you flew in with another pilot, usu- aircraft. Finally, there is NO substitute for

years. My present situation is that I am ally an instructor, for your first approach PLEASE MENTION ONE OR TWO experience; be patient and make steady

a Senior instructor and examiner/Check The same struggles or issues that exist to- Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Cessna 182, Piper and landing. I always walked away from SPECIAL MEMORIES OF YOURS, progress to reach the senior positions on
Captain with Cathay Pacific airways on day, as far as finding a sponsor to fund the Cherokee PA28- 180C/E, Piper Tomahawk, the B707 with a great deal of satisfaction in RELATED TO AVIATION. the flight deck. Q

the Boeing 747-400ERF and Boeing 747-8. training as a pilot, existed in those days too. Beechcraft Baron D-55, DE Havilland having handled a poor visibility, crosswind Special memories for me in aviation are Article courtesy: https://samchui.com/

I have been with Cathay Pacific now for Financing a pilot course has always been DHC-1 Chipmunk, Douglas DC-3 and C-47 landing into Kai Tak. When I then started as follows. I've had the opportunity in 2020/12/01/

close on 26 years but a total of 31 years an expensive exercise. The main difference version, Vickers Viscount VC-7 and VC-8,
with Cathay group airlines including Air though is that a lot of the major airlines had BAe146-200, Airbus A300-600, Airbus
Hong Kong. I am based in the beautiful and a budget to sponsor their own pilots; with A310, B737-200A, Boeing 707-300 series,

vibrant city of Hong Kong. the proviso that you would have to sign a B747-100/200/300/400 and not forgetting AFRICA

WHAT MADE YOU TO CHOOSE bond to promise to work for the sponsoring the B747-8.
airline for at least 4 years before you could
TO LEARN FLYING AND BECOME leave, if you even wanted to leave that is. ARE YOU ONE OF FIRST AFRICAN MALI ORDERS AN
A PILOT? Entry salaries were also low during your 4 PILOTS IN CATHAY? HOW DID YOU
At the age of seven I was sent to boarding year period, as you were inexperienced and LAND THE JOB IN HONG KONG?
school in Lusaka, Zambia's capital city. you were bonded anyway or you had to pay If you said African, I would say not the ADDITIONAL AIRBUS C295

It was this move that got me hooked on back the money if you resigned. There were first; but if you said Black African pilot to
flying. Why you ask? Well, to get me to my very few training schools in Africa so all or work in Hong Kong, then the answer is

boarding school we had to fly to Lusaka most of the training meant going to the UK, YES! to the best of my knowledge at least.
via Ndola. It was my first time getting on USA or Australia. I first got into a govern- When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I was

an aeroplane, a Douglas DC-3. As I pulled ment flight school after a tough selection certainly the only Black African to be in he Ministry of Defence of the
myself forward to my seat (as the DC-3 is process, where there were more than 3000 Hong Kong. I originally joined Air Hong TRepublic of Mali has placed a fi rm

a tailwheel aircraft) I could see the pilots applicants for 10 places for pilot training. Kong on the Boeing 707. It was on the en- order for an additional Airbus C295 airlift-

and that was it, I was going to be a pilot. That flight school still exists today, Zambia couragement of the former Chief pilot that er in the transport configuration.

As if the flight itself was not enough, the Air services Flying Institute (ZASTI). After I had worked with in Zimbabwe, Captain This second aircraft, to be delivered

school I went to in Lusaka was opposite, I attained my Private Pilot’s Licence(PPL) I Dave Warburton, that I made the leap in 2021, will supplement the first C295

albeit some distance away, from Lusaka got a sponsorship through Zambia Airways from my national airline, Air Zimbabwe, already in operation since December 2016

international airport; on clear days, in the to a British Airways flying college in the in 1989. I had just become a Captain on which has already accumulated 1,770 flight

playground, you could watch and hear UK, the College of Air Training, at Hamble, the Boeing 707 in Air Zimbabwe when hours and transported more than 38,000

aircraft taking off and landing. Aircraft in in Southampton. I graduated in early 1981 an opportunity opened up; Air Hong passengers and 900 tonnes of cargo in less

those days were loud, which was just such with a commercial Pilot's licence and Kong had just acquired another B707 and than four years of operations. Republic of Mali to have permanent air “This repeat order demonstrates the

a beautiful sound! They were VC-10's, Instrument Rating. they were in need of type rated pilots. I transport capacity within a very short excellent capabilities and performance

Boeing 707's, DC-8's, DC-9's and BAC 1-11 fitted the bill perfectly and Dave told me This new order also includes an integrat- timeframe, providing a vital link sup- of our aircraft. The C295 is becoming

to name but a few. HOW MANY AIRPLANE TYPES HAVE to put my application in. I fortunately ed logistics support package with spare porting operations and actions for the the 21st century standard tactical air-
YOU FLOWN?
parts for the two aircraft and training for

lifter in Africa with 37 aircraft ordered
development of isolated areas in the

TELL ME ABOUT THE EARLY I've been fairly fortunate in my flying career had a United Kingdom Airline Transport flight crews and mechanics. northern regions of the country. Ber- in the region, from Algeria, Egypt and

Pilots licence (ATPL), together with my
STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES YOU as I've flown some of the iconic aircraft of Zimbabwe licences, so the conversion to This acquisition is in response to the nhard Brenner, head of marketing and Ghana to Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso

FACED AS A STUDENT PILOT OR old and some of the newer ones too. So a Hong Kong licence, which was under the urgent need of the authorities of the sales at Airbus defence and space said, and Mali.” Q

JUNIOR PILOT. the list is something like this, Cessna 150, British system at that time, was easy. Thus

World Airnews | January 2021 World Airnews | January 2021
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