Who Is 'captain Don'???
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Who Is 'captain Don'???
Hi all.
i've been wondering this for a while...
I often hear an unmistakeable voice on joburg area,coming from Inline flights that i believe belongs to a guy called captain don.Sounds like a real character and obviously a very professional aviator who sounds like he's passionate about flying.
anyway,would love to know if anyone knows anything more about him,as he has the most unique and refreshing radio style i've come across...
i've been wondering this for a while...
I often hear an unmistakeable voice on joburg area,coming from Inline flights that i believe belongs to a guy called captain don.Sounds like a real character and obviously a very professional aviator who sounds like he's passionate about flying.
anyway,would love to know if anyone knows anything more about him,as he has the most unique and refreshing radio style i've come across...
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Captain Don Burnett on the Interair 737 - one of the funniest guys I've ever flown with!
He has some amazing stories and experience - about DC3's on skids into the antarctic, and doing a 'scenic tour' around Kilimanjaro in a SAA 747
The passengers love him, he gives a running commentary on anything from aviation history to meteorology to geography to the history of the places they fly over!
Keep it up Don, hope you read this. I know Mr T will never get you down 
He has some amazing stories and experience - about DC3's on skids into the antarctic, and doing a 'scenic tour' around Kilimanjaro in a SAA 747
The passengers love him, he gives a running commentary on anything from aviation history to meteorology to geography to the history of the places they fly over!
Keep it up Don, hope you read this. I know Mr T will never get you down
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Don's a larger than life character - both in his heart and in his physical presence. Also known as "Deycimal Don" for his unique habit of pronouncing the "deycimal" in a frequency assigned.
A story I remember was Don doing a early morning PE flight years ago. Louis was the controller in PE and Don called in at the boundary, using the Springbok callsign. Louis answered "Good morning Don, you're cleared inbound to the PEV, call for descent."
Don, sounding flabbergasted that he had been recognized called back, "Say how did you know it was me?" Louis came back straight away, "Big blip Don, big blip!"
One more story: Don was in the Fluffy sim doing his rating; his F/O was really struggling. Looked like a basket case. The poor kid was really struggling with his V1 cuts and having had another engine go was peddaling away at the rudders, barely keeping control and heading for the "ground." Don, sitting in the left was pattering away at him, coaching him and maybe, just maybe providing a little assistance on the controls. The checker called Don on the discrete and cautioned him to leave the kid alone and to leave the kid to his own destiny. Without a moment's hestitation Don rebuked the checker that this was his aeroplane and that no-one was going to stop him keeping it in the air. Nuff said.
Great to hear that Don's still flying - would be great to hear his dulcet tones.
4HP
A story I remember was Don doing a early morning PE flight years ago. Louis was the controller in PE and Don called in at the boundary, using the Springbok callsign. Louis answered "Good morning Don, you're cleared inbound to the PEV, call for descent."
Don, sounding flabbergasted that he had been recognized called back, "Say how did you know it was me?" Louis came back straight away, "Big blip Don, big blip!"
One more story: Don was in the Fluffy sim doing his rating; his F/O was really struggling. Looked like a basket case. The poor kid was really struggling with his V1 cuts and having had another engine go was peddaling away at the rudders, barely keeping control and heading for the "ground." Don, sitting in the left was pattering away at him, coaching him and maybe, just maybe providing a little assistance on the controls. The checker called Don on the discrete and cautioned him to leave the kid alone and to leave the kid to his own destiny. Without a moment's hestitation Don rebuked the checker that this was his aeroplane and that no-one was going to stop him keeping it in the air. Nuff said.
Great to hear that Don's still flying - would be great to hear his dulcet tones.
4HP
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Flew as passenger with Don last month to Cotonou, 2 day trip, so he was capt on the way back. Utterly brilliant guy, larger than life, and if we were in trouble, I'd want Don as the PIC.
Many more years doing what you love, Don
Many more years doing what you love, Don
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4HP - Not sure if it is the same story but also into PE one fine thundery day down to minimas with "deeeycimal Don' at the controls - his natural ability to calm passengers was reciting poems amongst others - 'High Flight' on this occassion. Plane apparently was rocked all over the show but a successful approach which resulted in a huge round of applause from the pax - Happy passengers which I am sure travelled only Spoories as a result. Also a fan amongst ATC , (pleasure to have him on the frequency!) slipping a couple of meals occasionly to those on the graveyard shifts until some clever copper tried to arrest them!!
Heard Don is now wanting to spend more time devoted to his own poetry - true SA Aviation Legend!!
Heard Don is now wanting to spend more time devoted to his own poetry - true SA Aviation Legend!!
