Tales of An Old Aviator .... The Big Chill
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Duke,
We've never met (unfortunately for me).
However, like many here, I take inspiration from your posts.
Here's wishing you a speedy recovery from this op and I know you will enjoy the mini Bash in your honour - well deserved.
We've never met (unfortunately for me).
However, like many here, I take inspiration from your posts.
Here's wishing you a speedy recovery from this op and I know you will enjoy the mini Bash in your honour - well deserved.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Cardiff ex GLA
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Hey Duke,
Ive got some of that ten year paint we talked about. Lemme me know where the boat is and I'll do the first coat. But Im leaving the fine artwork to you .... Hang in there !!
Be thinking of you Sunday ...... Cheers !
Ive got some of that ten year paint we talked about. Lemme me know where the boat is and I'll do the first coat. But Im leaving the fine artwork to you .... Hang in there !!
Be thinking of you Sunday ...... Cheers !
Get a drinks tray fitted to the gurney and get over to the pissup.
Good luck with the recovery and we are all looking forward to your next posting.
Good luck with the recovery and we are all looking forward to your next posting.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: chilliwack
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Duke is recovering quite well as of today. Even had some colour in his cheeks this morning. Very much looking forward to the event on Sunday and will be holding court as promised.
Everyone is welcome and the nearest pub/beer & wine store is only a short walk from the hangar. The weather promises a sultry (?) 38 degrees! So bring ice.
Everyone is welcome and the nearest pub/beer & wine store is only a short walk from the hangar. The weather promises a sultry (?) 38 degrees! So bring ice.
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Witnesham, Suffolk
Age: 80
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Can't see properly through the tears, but greetings to the Duke, and I hope the p*$$up went well.
My prayers are with you, along with my thanks for some wonderful tales.
My prayers are with you, along with my thanks for some wonderful tales.
Grandpa Aerotart
Hey Duke...just been reading this thread from the beginning...so many places, names, aeroplanes, adventures and fun drunken times do we share...a few years apart but that is about all.
My first job in Aviation was flying P2-BAF, an early 60s model C185, based in Chimbu when I had < 400hrs. Years in Talair followed and Air Niugini...13+ in PNG...Brian McCook was like a second father and stand in Grandad for my daughter. Meg Taylor a good friend who wanted my, then girlfriend now ex wife, to accompany her to the US as a tutor for children. if she had I wouldn't now be the proud (single) parent of a wonderfull teenage girl.
So many other names and faces we share. Now I sit in a B767 back and forth to Europe from Asia but still fly light aircraft often..many years ago I had a C185, now a Bonanza..keeps me poor but oh what fun!!!
Your adventures and stories are wonderfull and remind some of us of our own misspent youths in the 'Land of the Unexpected'.
Masta, ol tok tok bilong yu e gutpela tru. Ol manmeri husat i savi yupela I kamap hamamas tru long olgeta sumting long yu.
Dispela sik bilong yu ino bikpela sumting...emi samting nating...heart bilong yu bikpela tru..em tasol.
Planti narapela Masta (Ol drivman bilong Balus) i go untap long peles long taim bipo..na ol i wiat i stap long yu. Planti bia na gutpela meri I stap...na olsem Balus.
Stap isi pren bilong mipela..yu numba wun tasol.
Chuck.
My first job in Aviation was flying P2-BAF, an early 60s model C185, based in Chimbu when I had < 400hrs. Years in Talair followed and Air Niugini...13+ in PNG...Brian McCook was like a second father and stand in Grandad for my daughter. Meg Taylor a good friend who wanted my, then girlfriend now ex wife, to accompany her to the US as a tutor for children. if she had I wouldn't now be the proud (single) parent of a wonderfull teenage girl.
So many other names and faces we share. Now I sit in a B767 back and forth to Europe from Asia but still fly light aircraft often..many years ago I had a C185, now a Bonanza..keeps me poor but oh what fun!!!
Your adventures and stories are wonderfull and remind some of us of our own misspent youths in the 'Land of the Unexpected'.
Masta, ol tok tok bilong yu e gutpela tru. Ol manmeri husat i savi yupela I kamap hamamas tru long olgeta sumting long yu.
Dispela sik bilong yu ino bikpela sumting...emi samting nating...heart bilong yu bikpela tru..em tasol.
Planti narapela Masta (Ol drivman bilong Balus) i go untap long peles long taim bipo..na ol i wiat i stap long yu. Planti bia na gutpela meri I stap...na olsem Balus.
Stap isi pren bilong mipela..yu numba wun tasol.
Chuck.
Last edited by Chimbu chuckles; 26th Jul 2004 at 18:54.
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Duke's Pissup
Hey Everyone!
I will attempt to re-cap the events of the pissup for the Duke as best I can. While I am not the story teller that he is, for sure, I’ll do my best to paint the picture of Sunday for you. Would have done this yesterday but it was a little foggy here!
The shindig on Sunday was awesome! It was a beautiful day – clear sky, slight breeze, warm temperatures, loads and loads of friends and family, a very fat pig on a spit, heaps of Chilliwack corn, and plenty of grog.
The Duke arrived in grand style in his private limo-of-the-day (a shiny ambulance organized by another good friend!) complete with his own private nurse (another good friend!) standing by. He had managed to convince the doctors that he really needed to be holding court this day and they agreed to give him the day pass! Of course! And so, complete with all the plumbing, as Treefrog previously noted, he arrived as planned to a standing ovation! I must also mention that he was wearing the strangest socks……. I believe he called them his ‘sex socks’......not sure what that means???
A very good friend arranged to have the Cadillac of motor homes available for him to rest in occasionally as well and his daughter Meghan affixed – very appropriately – a giant gold star on the door with his name on it!
One of our local bands – Ernie Britton and the boys - came out to play some pretty great music as well and another friend – Patsy - sang a couple of songs just for Duke. One being Amazing Grace and there was not a dry eye anywhere! She sang it so beautifully and with the Duke were his daughters on either side of him and the grandkids nearby as well.
I’m still not sure of the identity of the pilots, but there were a few, who put on a show of some really great formations and fly-overs. They also performed the missing man formation….. There were lots of speeches; the Duke also had a few words to say.
I will try to get a statement from the Duke himself and post it. He stayed a very long time and is tired but he loved every minute of it! It was a very emotional day and one that I will not forget.
I hope to get a few of Duke’s own words here soon. Thanks to everyone who helped make it an unbelievable day for Duke. It was really special for him and his family.
I will attempt to re-cap the events of the pissup for the Duke as best I can. While I am not the story teller that he is, for sure, I’ll do my best to paint the picture of Sunday for you. Would have done this yesterday but it was a little foggy here!
The shindig on Sunday was awesome! It was a beautiful day – clear sky, slight breeze, warm temperatures, loads and loads of friends and family, a very fat pig on a spit, heaps of Chilliwack corn, and plenty of grog.
The Duke arrived in grand style in his private limo-of-the-day (a shiny ambulance organized by another good friend!) complete with his own private nurse (another good friend!) standing by. He had managed to convince the doctors that he really needed to be holding court this day and they agreed to give him the day pass! Of course! And so, complete with all the plumbing, as Treefrog previously noted, he arrived as planned to a standing ovation! I must also mention that he was wearing the strangest socks……. I believe he called them his ‘sex socks’......not sure what that means???
A very good friend arranged to have the Cadillac of motor homes available for him to rest in occasionally as well and his daughter Meghan affixed – very appropriately – a giant gold star on the door with his name on it!
One of our local bands – Ernie Britton and the boys - came out to play some pretty great music as well and another friend – Patsy - sang a couple of songs just for Duke. One being Amazing Grace and there was not a dry eye anywhere! She sang it so beautifully and with the Duke were his daughters on either side of him and the grandkids nearby as well.
I’m still not sure of the identity of the pilots, but there were a few, who put on a show of some really great formations and fly-overs. They also performed the missing man formation….. There were lots of speeches; the Duke also had a few words to say.
I will try to get a statement from the Duke himself and post it. He stayed a very long time and is tired but he loved every minute of it! It was a very emotional day and one that I will not forget.
I hope to get a few of Duke’s own words here soon. Thanks to everyone who helped make it an unbelievable day for Duke. It was really special for him and his family.
Sawmill Broad it sounds like the friends and family did Duke proud on the day.
I'm sure there were a few hangovers and swollen bellies from the beer and the pig
I'm sure there were a few hangovers and swollen bellies from the beer and the pig
Dear Duke,
I have never met you, but I really enjoy reading your stories.
The big C is hard to beat, but it hasn't taken your spirit, for which I am truly grateful.
Best wishes.
Blue skies.
I have never met you, but I really enjoy reading your stories.
The big C is hard to beat, but it hasn't taken your spirit, for which I am truly grateful.
Best wishes.
Blue skies.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Chilliwack BC Canada
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.
I am back.
I arrived at home today more details later. I gotta spin up my gyros.
The first story I wrote on this forum was about the lobster tossing adventure that happened out over the Atlanti with a failed engine that would not feather because of the broken crankshaft.
After the party , which was the most profound event that I have EVER attended ,it was like the second engine failed and my health
plumeted because the colostomy bag failed to operate and it was pretty much Bye Bye Duke as I went through indesscrible pain in a morphine crazy nightmare. I had taken a look at the door.
With such amazing skill and professionalism they again got me going. You will NEVER understand the admiration I have for the nursing staff , doctors and surgeons.
And your kind , supportive encouragement gave me strength.
I am the luckiest guy alive.
I am back.
I arrived at home today more details later. I gotta spin up my gyros.
The first story I wrote on this forum was about the lobster tossing adventure that happened out over the Atlanti with a failed engine that would not feather because of the broken crankshaft.
After the party , which was the most profound event that I have EVER attended ,it was like the second engine failed and my health
plumeted because the colostomy bag failed to operate and it was pretty much Bye Bye Duke as I went through indesscrible pain in a morphine crazy nightmare. I had taken a look at the door.
With such amazing skill and professionalism they again got me going. You will NEVER understand the admiration I have for the nursing staff , doctors and surgeons.
And your kind , supportive encouragement gave me strength.
I am the luckiest guy alive.
Glad to hear you had a great day, Duke.
From experience with my own colostomy bag I found the hardest thing was finding matching shoes!!!!
Keep your pecker up,
Warm regards
Barleyhi
From experience with my own colostomy bag I found the hardest thing was finding matching shoes!!!!
Keep your pecker up,
Warm regards
Barleyhi
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Down Under
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Good luck
Have been reading your stories from Australia Duke and just want to wish you all the best. This thread is inspirational and what a delight to read 14 pages of POSITIVE stuff!!!
Keep writing - I am waiting for the book.
Keep writing - I am waiting for the book.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Great stuff, Duke! I too have had cause to be grateful to the medical profession.
I don't want to gush, and you know what we all feel. I will just say that this thread is the first thing I go to when I fire up the mac. Keep up the good work, Pal.
Niaga Dessip - don't look back!
I don't want to gush, and you know what we all feel. I will just say that this thread is the first thing I go to when I fire up the mac. Keep up the good work, Pal.
Niaga Dessip - don't look back!