Sultan Qaboos

[Compass Call]

It was reported on the BBC that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said has died on Friday from cancer at the age at the age of 79.
It is reported that he will be succeeded by Haitham Bin Tariq Al-Said.

Rest in peace Sir, may Allah be with you always, and thank you.

[Asturias56]

A very interesting and highly intelligent person - showed it was possible to run a total autocracy and still do well for his people - who all seemed to be genuinely behind him.

Tho I guess after his old man anyone would look like a significant improvement - I remember reading a book about Oman and it said "Sultan Said had taken a very close look at the 20th Century and decided he was having none of it in HIS country...". The days when the whole 6km of tarmac road in t Oman were all in the Shell Camp and you had to pass a a security barrier to leave to go into town..................

[Fareastdriver]

When they built the first road camels and animals weren't allowed on it. The old man was reputed to keep all the oil revenues in cash under his bed.

[Bill Macgillivray]

A great loss, not just to the Middle East and Oman, but much further afield !
May Allah bless you and be with you !

[cynicalint]

He certainly looked after the Kipper fleet exceptionally well during Gulf War 1. Thank you for that, and your contributions the RAFC Cranwell, both through your interests and the times the RAF student Officer and Officer Cadets could spend with the ambassadors you sent over as students, learning from each other..

[Asturias56]

He managed to stay away from the extremists on all sides and see things as they were rather than as he might have liked them to be.

When they were opening up Oman to tourism he said "there is no point in building another Dubai - we'd have to import all the materials and all the workers - and all the people to run the hotels -. And all the profits would leave the country." So he was in favour of "discerning" tourism - ie the well off. It used to be that if you were Swiss you paid around US$ 10 for a tourist visa - but it was near $ 100 if you were a Brit ....... he knew his tourists did Qaboos................

And he was blessed with enough oil to be comfortable but not so much as to completely dominate the whole picture......

[Asturias56]

When they built the first road camels and animals weren't allowed on it. The old man was reputed to keep all the oil revenues in cash under his bed.


the old man was considered to be firm but fair - he'd blow up the wells of ANY village that irritated him not just the ones that were run by the Communists

[oldmansquipper]

Had some good times ‘wandering in the sand’ in the early 80s. I recall that big Q looked after us well. Even donated a pair of goats for a fuddle on the beach. The ‘descendants of LRDG, failed to find the beach (you only have to drive east, dear boy) and the land rovers got bogged down in the sand. Still the goat tasted nice anyway.

RIP with Allah, Sultan.

[Asturias56]

Just don't mention the business about the Royal Goat herd and the British Army..................... :p

[oldmansquipper]

Just don't mention the business about the Royal Goat herd and the British Army..................... :p

I mentioned it once , but I think I got away with it......🙊

[Warmtoast]

ISTR he presented a Cessna to the RMA Sandhurst which was kept at Blackbush. I had a friend who worked in the MOD who had a pilot's licence and he took me up with him in this aircraft on a few occasions when he used the aircraft around late 1970s - early 1980s.

[NutLoose]

I seem to remember there were rumours at the time that he offered his VC10 to the UK as a VIP when he replaced it, but it was turned down, so it was donated to Brooklands, I went with a working party from Brize to do some work on it before I left.

[Asturias56]

That's a very impressive aircraft.....................

[Lyneham Lad]

Interesting blog article with plentiful photos (some of which open up full size when clicked on) of military life in Oman the late 1970's.

Soldiering in the Sharqiya before the birth of modern Oman (https://www.macfilos.com/2021/01/06/soldiering-in-the-sharqiya-before-the-birth-of-modern-oman/)

PS - has aviation content!

[JENKINS]

During my Loan Service there was opportunity for long spells with OG at Khasab on the Mussandam. Aircraft, post Beaver days, were an Islander and occasionally a 206. Plenty of work in support of the Squadron tasked with the defence of the Peninsula, with several strips for the various Platoon locations, and ration trips to Dubai and liaison with Seeb when required. Fortunate to have wife and 4-year old daughter accompany me on one of my Khasab spells.

Straits of Hormuz a touch different these days. Khasab in my day meant an enjoyable spell 'up North' with OG, away from the increasing Admin presence of Seeb, and before a return to the sharper end in Salalah. And now, a thought for His late Majesty, our Commander in Oman, and a good memory of Colonel Richard who commanded OG.

[brakedwell]

I seem to remember Sultan Qaboos Bin Said shot the reigning Sultan during a parade at Salalah. I know the old Sultan was a problem from my tours on 152 Sqn in 1959/61 and 105 Sqn in 1964/66. I also remember the shot Sultan was picked up by an RAF Britannia and flown to the UK where he died in hospital in London shortly after.

[JW411]

Not true. The Sultan drew a pistol to shoot his son Qaboos but only succeeded in shooting himself in the foot. He was quickly bundled into the waiting casevac Ardet Argosy at Salalah with full medical team on board which included a Wg Cdr surgeon and flown immediately up to Muharraq. Then a Britannia to Akrotiri followed by a VC-10 to Lyneham for transfer to Wroughton hospital. He then spent the rest of his life in a London hotel while his son, Sultan Qaboos, got on with dragging the country out of the 14th century. In my opinion, he did a bloody good job of it.

[brakedwell]

Thanks for correcting me Jock. I was slipping in Bahrain on the way to Changhi when that casevac Brit left for Akrotiri. The rest of the story was rumour! I do remember being at Salalah with a 152 Sqn Pembroke when the first two Beavers arrived from Aden in 1961. The Sultan visited Salalah to see his new aircraft, was asked if he would like a flight in one of his Beavers and he replied he would not fly in a single engine aircraft, but might go in a Pembroke although in fact he was not keen to fly in any aircraft.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x582/beaver_bc5a15ac0f5a3d9ae166f351e775af849b725b35.jpg

[ex-fast-jets]

I have not operated in the circles of SultanQ and his mates, but I spent way too much time at the end of the 90's and early 00's in the Middle East - mostly Kuwait, Saudi and Bahrain. And a bit of Oman.

The only country in that area that I would ever visit again is Oman.

The Omani's are fantastic people, with a most refreshing approach to life - and foreigners.

I do not know if this is thanks to SultanQ, but I was amazed by the mature and rational attitude of folk in remote villages way distant from tourist, diplomatic or military influence.

A wonderful country, with wonderful people.

[brakedwell]

Agreed ex-fast-jets, a wonderful country with very nice people. I had some wonderful experiences with them when flying the Twin Pioneers in Oman.

[Bill Macgillivray]

How right you are regarding Oman and its people. I spent many happy years with SOAF/RAFO on 'Vans and Defenders as a QFI and love the country and its people very much! Returned on visits several times over the years and somehow my ex-studes. seemed to know and I was always welcomed. I just hope that once the present virus problems disperse that the country will continue to move forward.

Bill

[Radley]

Enjoyed every minute of my time in Oman. Recall having to delay T/O due to the Sultan flying circuits in his 747. Flying with the local Huey Sqn and the crewman having been demoted because he was caught drinking aftershave. Fascinating place historically and politically.