Darren was the sort of guy who was always helping others...and yeah he would give you the shirt off his back. Skilled in so many ways but aviation was his passion and he didn't just only love flying but certain aircraft types not just any ol' one...
Man he could fly and while he knew the rules... he memorised them too including the "how to fly this plane" rule book of any aircraft...he was a natural and very safe to fly with.
I always followed his many exploits over the years and Darren had so many stories.... they were wild and outlandish. How could this be? This doesn't happen to people?... but if you were with him you would be a part of the story and yes it was all true when you end up in one of them!
In recent years Darren came to me with a concept to join up and create an aviation business which was called CorpAir Express....catchy name with a catchy logo we both made....that took ages but it was sensational. It was a little out there but I could see the potential and I could see it would work. A big part of that was to make it a turbine operation and the bird of choice was the Van...oh he loved the Van! In fact only on Monday he was texting me that he did 5 hrs in the van and thought it was a magnificent machine...
Anyway we just needed to get the AOC sorted and then it’s a matter of marketing for work and the all important financial backer of which I had lined up.... but then came the GFC and the downturn of the major customer base (mining) put a pause on the biz.
Darren got the position as the FOI for the CAA in PNG and this new job gave him the ability to get better ratings, further the endorsements for him and the biz but also to earn good money while doing his best at keeping the skies safe in PNG. He was frustrated with bureaucracy as only governments can be and was banging his head against the wall. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be there but surely kept himself entertained while he was there...
While in PNG he got to fly the van, PAC750, Kodiak, twotter, metro II & III, B200, Bell212 & 407, BK117 and the citation. He was like a "kid in a candy store" and loved every minute of it.
Darren ....soar man soar.....soar high and fast and god speed
Here are a few photos of Darren and some of the many things he loved. Sorry I had to get these off his face book site as our hard disk crashed recently. I have sent it off to get resurrected and when its back I'll post some more...We have some cool ones.
The country life….something Darren loved….he was never a city guy….
A well travelled Darren
I guess we all saw Daisy but he loved this mustering bus….he was very good at flying at zero feet!
His new XR6….
Yes he had even a massive collection of model aircraft and helicopters...just a few here...
Literally his favourite truck when he wasn’t flying….yeah a Volvo!
He loved the van…..
Honorary chief of the Chimbu Tribe in PNG…a few years back….hence the head dress of cassowary feathers.
Another passion….down at the gun club
I’ll post more soon guys…..
Cheers
Syd