Dear all,
I got duly shat out by a Russian/Ukranian crew of a civvie operated aircraft circa 1901ish in the eastern DRC because I wasnt calling on 118.10. When I pointed out that the frequency is actually 126.900 the Engineer pulled out a wheelspanner the size of a spade and wanted to admonish the gospel to me. (Maybe it was the question of whether their equipment doesnt get to a frequency that high that irritated him).I took a step back and flashed the international peace sign developed in the early 60's. I offered him a Jeperson High low chart as a peace offering wich he accepeted with a grunt (that sounded like "illstickthisspannerupyourassbeforeyoucanblinkaneye") and handed it to his Captain. They offered me a glass of deicing fluid as I offered them a cup of coffee, and we restored the international brotherhood of flying. When I explained why one uses the 126.900 frequency, through the CoPilot, who could speak English as well as the Captain could speak Swahili, they offered me more deicing fluid.(The Copilot is still working on his Swahili to woe the local lasses) I do remember sometime later that we all spoke Afrikaans and Russian but that is beside the point.
The last time I flew over their operating area I heard the Copilot beating out a near perfect position report on 126.900(albeit with Swahili accent creeping in....)
The point I am trying to make is sometimes they just dont have the info.....sometimes they are just unfamiliar.....sometimes they also dont feel the helping hand of the brotherhood stetching out!
They also like to make living, and the opertunities to fly excelent equipment for reputable operators are not that many.And they also would like to keep on living.
I make a piont of walking over if I have the time, say hallo and ask if they would like to have the High/Low chart I have just replaced.
To The Pardner critics, the man enjoy his work, he enjoy his enviroment, and it if he doesnt he tries to make light of it. He certainly puts a twitch in my cheeck. I know as Cliffie always said"...this is seriuos police business..." but lighten up!
..the time has come the walrus said to speak of many things, of sailing ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings..."