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The Sky’s The Limit (5)

When perfectly executed, this manoeuvre slowed the plane to a mere two knots above stalling speed. The slightest error would cause the plane to stall with no possibility of recovery. Thanks to my excellent training in the RAF I quickly learned how to pick up the banner. For obvious reasons I did not remain in this job for long!


My next job was in Cambridge, for an engineering company. They specialised in repairing damaged RAF aircraft. My job was to conduct a military test of the plane before returning it to the RAF. Typically, I flew to a height of around fifty thousand feet and then put the plane into a dive, all the while recording performance data on a notepad strapped to my right thigh! I learned at a later date, that I had “inherited” the job from a previous pilot who had pulled out of the dive a fraction too late! My life did not lack excitement at the time and other flying assignments were by no means hazard free.


One job consisted of towing “drogues”, which the RAF used for gunnery practice. Fortunately, I had no known enemies in the RAF!! Some weekends I had the pleasure of taking passengers on 15 minute “Joy Rides” from a disused airport. I also flew a De Havilland Rapide with bookies, horse owners, trainers and jockeys to various race meetings.


Flight Magazine continued as my bible when searching for work. My first passenger airline job was for Cambrian Airways to fly a Rapide. Based in Wales on the outskirts of Haverford West and our accommodation was a Control tower! They also had DC3s, Doves and Herons. The choice of aircraft was dependant on the route and passenger loading. Routes were from Rhoose airport to the Channel Islands, South Coast, Bristol and Paris and some charter flights. I generally began the day from our home at Haverford West to Rhoose airport and ended the day in the same plane back at Haverford West. The evening climate around Haverford West was more often than not wet and foggy and we had no ground radio. To gauge whether it was safe or too dangerous to land at Haverford West, I phoned my wife from Rhoose when I was ready to return. She would check and tell me whether a certain tree was easily visible. If it could be seen clearly, it was safe to fly back!


My next job was with Nigerian Airways, a subsidiary of BOAC. We were given a fully furnished house and money to buy a car and hire staff for the house. A far cry from all we had until now. I found flying in Nigeria to be very interesting. We covered vast distances, from the Mountainous Kano region in the north to Lagos in the south and all the way to the sea in the West.

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