How many Enstrom's did he own? Did one not decorate itself over the top of Mt Kosiocko at around the late seventies, early eighties as well, with another 'live in" pilot at the wheel. last name start with W.
Les Morris, now there's a name i haven't heard for a while, bless his departed soul. A rather, very extraordinary person was Les. His standard response to any FOI who was silly enough to ask him had he flown such and such a type was, "Oh yes I have about 1100 hours in that type." Usually in an affected, superior imperitive tone that used to get-right-up-their-noses.
Les turned up one day at our place of work, the company had not long bought an R22, which I flew as I was the only one with an endorsement. Les was there to, "do a few more," so to speak.
While he was there some bright spark, ahem! I think it was the boss, said why don't you go and do a few autos with Les so's you can check out the other guys later.
'Yep no worries', everyone agreed, I didn't get a vote. I had though been doing heaps in the '47 at this stage.
Now I had only done a very rudimentary endorsement with one Ron Shortis I think his name was from Perth.
I turn up at about 2.30 pm on a stinking hot day from a mustering job elsewhere after he has been endorsing others all day. He hadn't been doing autos with the others.
Les has a quick look at the book, his eyes light on the 52 knots bit about the minimum speed in autos or some such and gives instruction to me, "We'll do 'em at 52 knots, right?"
Well who am i to argue he's the ace right?
Light weight blades they were, did I say a hot afternoon, bloody hot, no wind, 75% fuel, in a standard 22.
Things were going sort of ok, he hasn't touched the wheel up until the third one when at about fifty feet he yells out real loud, "Holy jesus, look at that will yer?"
Well what else could I do? although as everyone would say it's not the best time to looking away from the job in hand in those aircraft.
What was he waving around? the bloody collective dual lever that someone? had forgot to lock in.
I told him straight up after I landed that i thought it was a real good time for a cup of coffee. lesson finished. I'm glad it was unstuck though in hindsight, god knows what stunt he was going to pull had it been connected.
a great guy was Les.