Jasper (cont)
The Maskelyn Islands are off the south-east coast of Malekula, not far from Lamap.
When he was doing his last flights through Honiara in the Air Niugini F28, he made himself known to our aircrew (in his own inimitable style, and booming voice), that he would be joining us.
From my logbook, I see that I route checked him into Auki, Kira Kira, and Fera in Islander H4-AAI on the 21st August '81. At the time I was a sprogg deputy CP and route checkkie who knew my way around because I had been there since before Independence, guideing the PNG Legend, ex-Air Traffic Controller, ex-DCA PNG Examiner of Airmen, ex-Air Niugini Senior Jet Captain who had come up through DC-3's etc...
I see I also hired his Cessna P2-PQP in mid July '82 to fly out to Barakoma (Vella Lavella, Pappy Boyingtons old strip), to take my world-traveller sister to Liapari for a weekend.
Although I didn't get my PNG Commercial till much later, some of our pilots had letters of authorization to fly PNG registered aircraft, as the owner frequently moved his lease aircraft between his companies. The Aztec P2-GKZ ferried to Brisbane in mid-January '81 had been one of these.
We also operated Queenair P2-GkY on its PNG registration for a long while before converting it to H4 registration.
He didn't stay on Islander and Baron long, and after his Metro endorsement it wasn't long before he was flying International turbines again and appointed Chief Pilot.