Page 36 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition

PERSONALITY

with AA-11 missiles and also fly the F-16 in Pakistan. I left the SAAF ance and colleagues that were truly committed to the family that was

permanent force in 1994 but remained on as first citizen force and Comair. I believed that the head of operations should also fly to ensure

later active reserve, flying the Mirage F1, Boeing 737 BBJ and the credibility and intimate knowledge of the operation and that pilots are

Harvard at the SAAF Museum. In effect I have therefore served the worth more to an airline than just flying and therefore I involved them
SAAF for 47 years. in all aspects of the business.
YOU FLEW THE MIRAGE F1CZ AS AN AIRCRAFT. TELL US WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE BOEING MAX
A BIT ABOUT IT AND SOME MISSIONS FLOWN BY YOU? DELIVERY FLIGHT?

The Mirage F1 is a wonderful machine, a real gentleman’s fighter We were four training captains that delivered the first Comair

but with amazing capability for its age. It is very fast with good Boeing 737-8 Max from Seattle. We did this so that we could
acceleration and turn-rate, range and weapons capability. It was immediately start training on introduction on route. The pilots

the back-bone of fast fighter operations throughout the bush war. were captains Johann Bruwer (Flight Technical Manager and the

There is something very special about the look of a F1 in flight and as project manager who did an amazing job with the Max and the

somebody once said, ‘if it looks good, then flies good.’ Operationally previous -800 projects), Pieter Ackerman (Standards Manager) and

it was very capable, operating out of short-field basis at very high Roy Clegg (Chief Training Captain).

temperature with very few restrictions. I flew operations into Angola We flew from Seattle to the Dominican Republic for a refuelling

mostly out of bases such as Grootfontein, Ondangwa and Rundu, stop, then on to Sal Island for a night stop. The next leg was from

mostly ground attack with bombs and rockets and also escort Sal directly to Johannesburg, a flight of 9 hours and 10 minutes,

missions with Canberras, Buccaneers and recce Mirage 111R2Zs. On with Durban fuel still available plus alternates. The aircraft per-

my birthday in 1983 I shot up a MI-8 helicopter on the ground just formed perfectly and was an absolute pleasure to fly, with espe-

south of Cuvelai with 30mm cannon. I’ve had the pleasure to fly the cially the fuel consumption amazing. We completed one week’s

F1 on and off from 1979 till 2016 and have the honour of being the flying training on route when the aircraft was grounded.

SAAF pilot with most hours on the Mirage F1. The Max is a tragedy that should never have happened. An excel-

WHAT OTHER MILITARY TYPES HAVE YOU FLOWN AND lent aircraft that should never have crashed. I am not at liberty to
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE? expand on this, maybe at a next opportunity.
I have flown Harvard, Impala Mk 1 and 2, Mirage 111EZ, DZ YOU ALSO BROUGHT IN SOME OF THE OTHER B738 NGS.

and D2Z, Mirage F1CZ and AZ. Obviously the Mirage F1CZ is my Yes, I also flew the first new -800 delivery, back in July 2012.

favourite, but I have a huge soft spot for the Harvard which was the

first aircraft that I flew and after 47 years, I still have the pleasure HAVE YOU STILL GOT YOUR MODELS?

flying it for the SAAF Museum. Yes I collect die-cast aircraft models and have built a few plastic ones

AND THEN COMAIR LIMITED – WHERE DID YOU START? as well, but not that many. Maybe I will have more time for that now!
I started as a SFO on Boeing 737-200s in July 1994 and after seven IN YOUR VIEW, HOW WILL AIRLINES SURVIVE COVID 19?

months I was promoted to captain on the Fokker F-27. Four months With difficulty. Airlines all over the world operate on very small

later these aircraft were withdrawn and I moved to the Boeing profit margins and to be grounded and have no revenue generation

727-200 as captain, then training captain and later fleet captain while sitting with all the fixed costs, is going to near impossible to

and chief training captain. manage without some kind of financial aid.

The 727 was a real pilot’s aircraft and I thoroughly enjoyed flying

this great machine. When the 727’s were withdrawn from service in TYPES FLOWN AND HOURS LOGGED AND WHICH PLANE
early 2003, I returned to the Boeing 737-200 and -400, followed later REALLY STOOD OUT FOR YOU?
by the -300, -800 and the -8 Max. During my last years on 727s, I was Just over 13 000 hours on about 20 types. Not that much but consider-
promoted to Chief Pilot and Executive Manager Flight Operations. ing that I was involved in management most of the time, not too bad.

AS HEAD OF FLIGHT OPERATION WHAT WAS IT LIKE? GIVE US YOUR COMMENTS ON GOOD CRM AND THE

I became Director Flight Operations in Jan 2003, in charge of pilots, IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK IN THE FLIGHT DECK?
operations control and training and as an executive director on the Absolutely required. You have to be able to recognise all your

Comair Board. Later cabin crew and then airports were added to fellow crew member’s peculiarities and adjust accordingly, while

my portfolio and my title changed to Director Operations in 2011. still maintaining standards and operating procedures. Comair has

Responsibilities included pilots, cabin crew, airports, operations been very good at promoting the team concept over many years

control, ground operations, training and standards, catering and and the safety record speaks for itself. We have always tried to also

toward the end, engineering reduce the formality
as well. It was an amazing without undermining
17 years in charge of the responsibility in our
operations, where my team operation.

and I took Comair from

literally a pre-fab operation WHERE TO FROM

just starting with jets, to HERE?
arguably the most modern Hopefully still flying

and advanced operation in for many years. I am

Southern Africa. I held this still flying at the SAAF

position until May 2019, Museum, I have just

when I elected to step joined the Harvard Club

down from this position and and I recently purchased

finally retired from Comair a RV-8, which is a brilliant
in March 2020. aircraft to enjoy. I am

I have had an amazing also in discussions with
time in Comair, with a Martin and Captain Glen Warden companies outside of

management team with in- (back) in their Harvard the airline business for
credible skills and persever- possible project work. Q
World Airnews | May 2020
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