Ferry C340 twenty years ago
Dear collegue,
I just happened to find your remark about that ferry pilot who owes his life to the crew of a Royal Airforce Nimrod just about 20 years ago.
Reading your words remind me of the endless hours on the flight deck of a nice airplane I ferried from North Dakota to Istanbul and in which I was sure to leave the party after getting struck by lightning in FL 250.
The only radio that had been switched off when I touched the outskirts of that CB gave me the opportunity to make a relay to an airliner crossing 52 North 35 West to pass him my home phone number to say goodbye to my wife in Frankfurt. I was just out there without any nav equipment and two knocked out GPS receivers. I was aware of the fact that I had no chance at all.
Then a Nimrod was scrambled in Kinloss to look out for me and finally found me 200 miles north of my calculated course and guided me safely to Shannon.
You are perfectly right to say that it was the Nimrod crew that saved me.
After the incident I continued to work as a doctor and of course also worked in England as a GP. My English patients never guessed why this doctor was so charming and helpful. He never forgot that it was a Royal Airforce Nimrod that saved his life years ago. I never forgot this. A picture of the Nimrod is in my office, all of the crew have signed it. And althogh I don't know any of them exept the Commander I met in Kinloss weeks later, I do know that without them I'd be just one of many nameless ferry pilots who dindn't make it.
Kind regards
Werner Soehlmann M.D.