Robin Says :
However, flying a Permit Cub into an International airport at night, flying with a smidgen of oil, flying from the UK to Australia without a valid PtF, etc etc though fascinating to watch is not necessarily how we want to GA pilots to be seen.
(RESPONSE): I think we need to take into account that Maurice is a very likeable 'loose cannon'. His flying into International Airports after Sunset was something that on at least 3 events I QUICKLY MANAGED TO GET 'SQUARED AWAY' with Authorities, Yes my AFPEX system was on fire with messages between ATC units & myself & also Authorities of AVIATION in Countries where he completed these landings. On the 2001 London to Sydney Air Race Maurice's PtF was current for the duration of that Race, as was his Insurance. I would agree in essence that Maurice isn't how GA Pilots would like to be seen, however Maurice is a Latter Day Louis Bleriot or Jim Mollison.
Jay Sata Says :
My impression of Kirk is he is a pilot who can fix his basic aircraft anywhere in the world and get airborne. You mention paperwork and his suggestions of crash landing. Kirk uses those tales to get publicity. The truth is there are very few pilots who can match his ability in situations such as he found himself in South Sudan. Kirk has never been prosecuted and found guilty of any flying issue as far as I know.
(RESPONSE) : Maurice certainly has the skills to 'cobble together' his Cub to a standard where he would be happy to fly it..... That Standard is the " Kirkified Standard " which does not always correlate into the LAA PtF Standard. Maurice has had Crash Landings on this trip & lets be honest the camera never lies ;-) Maurice's tenacity to get himself into situations & then back out of them is legendary, as to whether Maurice has ever been prosecuted or found guilty of any flying issue I am sure the CAA have assigned the West Wing of CAA House to the Pontification Headquarters of the Maurice Kirk Incident Room, I say that in the knowledge that I was knackered after walking past his Section to get to the department I needed to visit ;-)
Genghis The Engineer says :
I'm very happy to be regarded as sat on the offended bus. I think that Kirk is an embarrassment and a liability to general aviation, whose antics undermine our freedoms. He has also achieved considerably less than some other solo fliers, far more deserving of prestigious awards. To throw a few names in; Polly Vacher, Dave Sykes, Eve Jackson - did more, with equally limited resources, and without controversy, criminal records, or pointless anti authority grandstanding.
(RESPONSE) : I am backing Maurice 100% on his penchant to complete such epic trips, I am not saying I agree with him being put up for a Prestigious Award or anything like that, however there is something that does warrant our respect.... this is an Old Man who is doing more with his Cub than most flyers are doing with their High Tech Hotships. I look at such names as Vacher, Jackson, Sykes & a few others and comparing them to Maurice is a total disparity. Polly Vacher had an immense 'background team' so everything was very co-ordinated for her. Eve Jackson also had a very well processed team behind her who were there to help out on her very structured trip. Dave Sykes was as close as we could get to Maurice in that both have a Very Gung Ho attitude towards their flying and both managed to get to Sydney by hook or by crook. Lets not forget that Martin Bromage also set out on a UK to Australia Microlight Flight and was so well organised that he should have completed the trip with relative ease, the fate of Martin was sadly sealed by peer pressure and contrary to his better judgement he took off into inclement weather just to appease the media, Martin lost his life in a fatal incident just short of Le Touquet. Martin was a very experienced flexwing pilot as well as an accomplished helicopter pilot with skills far superior to many. Quite easily any of the names you mention could have fallen into the Liability category as can any of us. With regards to Maurice's criminal records, or pointless anti authority grandstanding I really don't see why that bears any relevance on a flying debate. Maurice is certainly not your run of the mill type of guy when it comes to his flying, however I would much prefer there to be a few more of his kind than the ' vanilla ' circuit bashers who want to decry the guy having a swansong trip.