Some Of The Crew Back In 1992-1993.
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Did you go right down?
Apparently there are (were) several different levels, the higher levels have been enlarged greatly for tourists, the lower level is the real thing.
The booby traps they set were something to behold
Went there recently .... unfortunately, claustrophobia won on the day, however, my wife saved the family name.
Shot off some AK47 ... no hits
And, those buses in HCMC haven't changed
Shot off some AK47 ... no hits
And, those buses in HCMC haven't changed
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Enlarged! Good God, I barely fit in the enlarged bit.
The booby traps they set were something to behold
The booby traps they set were something to behold
One of our group went down to the next level, but it was a very quick trip, he was only gone for a minute or so.
From what we were told the actual tunnels shrink in size (on purpose) the further you go in, the idea as our guide so happily told us was that as the VC (NOT a term he used, they hated that term) go further in they can get through but the American Invaders (his terms) get stuck.
Also as you mentioned lots of booby traps, as our guide very graphically explained, like at the bottom of those vertical entrances there was like a trap door, the VC dodge them but the Americans stood on them and fall through onto these very sharp bamboo poles piercing them shockingly where it really hurts. The guide also explained that the VC counted on the stupid Americans (his terms) stopping to help their severely injured buddies, as would most people, while the VC got away.
It was a very clever system of tunnels, the VC hid there for years with the Americans sometimes right above them, they even cooked etc underground with pipes taking the smoke miles away from where they really were. Apparently (according to our guide) the Americans even built some kind of barracks over part of the tunnels at one stage, then they couldn't work out why their sentries were killed during the night without anyone breaching their fortified fences.
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Went there recently .... unfortunately, claustrophobia won on the day, however, my wife saved the family name.
Shot off some AK47 ... no hits
And, those buses in HCMC haven't changed
Shot off some AK47 ... no hits
And, those buses in HCMC haven't changed
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What an excellent thread...this is one of the reasons I visit PPRuNe; to read about places (and escapades therein ) that many of us will never visit.
Keep those memories coming please folks
) that many of us will never visit.Keep those memories coming please folks
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Just a quickie, so as to speak, I finally found the photo of the other aircraft type (Tupolev) that was Vietnam Airlines front line aircraft until our B767 began ops IN Vietnam.
You can also see in this photo the 2 hangars behind the aircraft, these were the biggest hangars (then anyway) in Saigon, which is why we had to have virtually all our scheduled maintenance done in Taipei, and because of the American embargo, IF we had of observed that.
You can also see in this photo the 2 hangars behind the aircraft, these were the biggest hangars (then anyway) in Saigon, which is why we had to have virtually all our scheduled maintenance done in Taipei, and because of the American embargo, IF we had of observed that.
Silly Old Git
We were on some $US60 a night for expenses, standard at the time in the Company, which they cut back to $US50 a night when they found out how cheap it was there.
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Bean counters
We didn't really mind, things were so cheap there at the time, just it was the standard per diem at the time, and you can bet what they saved from us they did NOT give to anyone else who was working for them somewhere it was dearer to stay.
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I'm looking forward to someone telling some of the MAS stories. It was to MAS that quite possibly the largest group of Ozmates went, as early as late ‘89.
One that immediately comes to mind was the origin of "Ozmate".
“Shakin' Stephens”, a very keen (and very good) golfer, was one of the early arrivals there, and in short order, with all the time he spent out on the golf course, was as suntanned – if not moreso – as any local. He was also possessed of one very broad Awstrawyan accent, and like too many of us in those early days, he didn’t appreciate just how baffling our use of slang was to most of the Malaysians we worked with.
Shakin’ was a particularly bad offender in the use of Strine slang.
One morning, he was in the milling throng at sign on – not helping his captain with the flight plan, but showing some local captain how to improve his golfing grip – when another senior Malaysian captain approached one of the Australian captains.
He gestured towards Shakin’. “Bill,” he said, “Where does (Shakin’) come from?”
“Australia, like the rest of us, Rizwan.”
“No, no, he doesn’t,” replied the captain. “I asked him yesterday and he said he comes from some place called Ozmate. Where is that?”
And so Ozmate it became.
The other MAS story resulted in its main character being invited for morning tea with the redoubtable (and I think virtually everyone who went there would agree, much respected) Captain Ooi, the “Manager, Narrow Body”.
The FO involved found himself on an overnight at BKI in East Malaysia, an overnight that began at around lunch time. The Purser, (who was quite senior - which, it turns out, became an important part of the story, for ‘face’ became involved), and he agreed that a bit of up close and personal time might be the order of the day to while away the early afternoon hours, after which the FO returned to his room.
On the same crew, overnighting with the Purser and the FO, there was also a-very-new,-on-one-of-her-first-flights,-fresh-out-of-training-school-flight-attendant (you get the picture?) who was comely in the extreme (as, I’m sure few would disagree, were soooo many of the ladies we flew with at MAS).
On his way back to his room after his visit with the Purser, the FO met the young lady described above, and without going into too many details, it was agreed that she should come back to his room for some up close and personal time. Perhaps not surprisingly, this up close and personal time was longer lasting than the earlier tryst with the Purser, and while he and the fresh from training school young lady were lying back and having the proverbial cigarette whilst catching their collective breaths, the phone rang.
The phone was on the young lady’s side of the bed and so she picked it up and handed it across to the FO, unfortunately, (oh, how very unfortunately!) giving away her presence, perhaps even her identity, to the caller, who unfortunately was the Purser, ringing to see if the FO was interested in ‘seconds’.
Much loss of face for senior Purser (and, I imagine, some interesting crew dynamics on the multiple sectors they had to fly the next morning before returning to KL).
... and, as I mentioned, a visit to Captain Ooi’s office, where the FO was gently informed that there were some cultural lines that were best left uncrossed, and some young ladies best left unbedded.
One that immediately comes to mind was the origin of "Ozmate".
“Shakin' Stephens”, a very keen (and very good) golfer, was one of the early arrivals there, and in short order, with all the time he spent out on the golf course, was as suntanned – if not moreso – as any local. He was also possessed of one very broad Awstrawyan accent, and like too many of us in those early days, he didn’t appreciate just how baffling our use of slang was to most of the Malaysians we worked with.
Shakin’ was a particularly bad offender in the use of Strine slang.
One morning, he was in the milling throng at sign on – not helping his captain with the flight plan, but showing some local captain how to improve his golfing grip – when another senior Malaysian captain approached one of the Australian captains.
He gestured towards Shakin’. “Bill,” he said, “Where does (Shakin’) come from?”
“Australia, like the rest of us, Rizwan.”
“No, no, he doesn’t,” replied the captain. “I asked him yesterday and he said he comes from some place called Ozmate. Where is that?”
And so Ozmate it became.
The other MAS story resulted in its main character being invited for morning tea with the redoubtable (and I think virtually everyone who went there would agree, much respected) Captain Ooi, the “Manager, Narrow Body”.
The FO involved found himself on an overnight at BKI in East Malaysia, an overnight that began at around lunch time. The Purser, (who was quite senior - which, it turns out, became an important part of the story, for ‘face’ became involved), and he agreed that a bit of up close and personal time might be the order of the day to while away the early afternoon hours, after which the FO returned to his room.
On the same crew, overnighting with the Purser and the FO, there was also a-very-new,-on-one-of-her-first-flights,-fresh-out-of-training-school-flight-attendant (you get the picture?) who was comely in the extreme (as, I’m sure few would disagree, were soooo many of the ladies we flew with at MAS).
On his way back to his room after his visit with the Purser, the FO met the young lady described above, and without going into too many details, it was agreed that she should come back to his room for some up close and personal time. Perhaps not surprisingly, this up close and personal time was longer lasting than the earlier tryst with the Purser, and while he and the fresh from training school young lady were lying back and having the proverbial cigarette whilst catching their collective breaths, the phone rang.
The phone was on the young lady’s side of the bed and so she picked it up and handed it across to the FO, unfortunately, (oh, how very unfortunately!) giving away her presence, perhaps even her identity, to the caller, who unfortunately was the Purser, ringing to see if the FO was interested in ‘seconds’.
Much loss of face for senior Purser (and, I imagine, some interesting crew dynamics on the multiple sectors they had to fly the next morning before returning to KL).
... and, as I mentioned, a visit to Captain Ooi’s office, where the FO was gently informed that there were some cultural lines that were best left uncrossed, and some young ladies best left unbedded.
Silly Old Git
Ahh..Shakin' me little brother,RIP mate.
Described Malaysia as "Shes all fcuked mate" Once told me he was in a shopping centre and spotting a pizza joint rocked up to the counter to order. The kind man explained they only took phone orders he could dial-a-pizza. After Shakin' had finished describing what the pizza man could do in broadest strine, he spotted a public telephone across the mall and duly rang the pizza joint and watched the bloke take his order.
Most Shakin' stories are unprintable.
Shakin' white shoes (he did have a red pair) in Pommyland. Where are the rest now?
Described Malaysia as "Shes all fcuked mate" Once told me he was in a shopping centre and spotting a pizza joint rocked up to the counter to order. The kind man explained they only took phone orders he could dial-a-pizza. After Shakin' had finished describing what the pizza man could do in broadest strine, he spotted a public telephone across the mall and duly rang the pizza joint and watched the bloke take his order.
Most Shakin' stories are unprintable.
Shakin' white shoes (he did have a red pair) in Pommyland. Where are the rest now?
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Update on Tony Fitzsimons please anyone?
Looks like quite a number of dispute pilots lurkin' round in here and quite a few from BNE. Even though not exactly relating to the thread, was wondering any of you guys know Tony? He had a stroke sometime betweem mid to late 90's while with MAS in BKI. Paddy (his wife) brought him back to BNE and we lost contact.
Coincidently I am with EK now on a layover in BNE at the time I'm writing this note. If there is anyone who knows him here, can you give me and update or contact for him or his wife. I heard he passed away but there is no way I can confirm this. If it is true, I would love to pay my respects since I am in town.
Thanks in advance.
Coincidently I am with EK now on a layover in BNE at the time I'm writing this note. If there is anyone who knows him here, can you give me and update or contact for him or his wife. I heard he passed away but there is no way I can confirm this. If it is true, I would love to pay my respects since I am in town.
Thanks in advance.
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Dora-9,
I had an email earlier to say you had sent a PM, however the PM is not here now on site?
Okay IF you deleted it, just did NOT want you to think I was rude and didn't answer.
airsupport.
I had an email earlier to say you had sent a PM, however the PM is not here now on site?
Okay IF you deleted it, just did NOT want you to think I was rude and didn't answer.
airsupport.
Airsupport - another try at a PM....
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Your mentioning of familiar voices on the radio reminded me of some other odd radio things on those Vietnam Airlines flights.
On many flights, but especially Hanoi-Moscow-Hanoi when various ATCs wanted us to confirm our Airline and registration, many needed it to be transmitted several times, especially India for some reason, they had a lot of trouble believing that Vietnam Airlines had a registration of VH-RMA.
Then there were the long haul Qantas guys operating from Europe to OZ who heard these Aussies voices heading for either Hanoi or Moscow and were not sure what they hearing was correct either.
On many flights, but especially Hanoi-Moscow-Hanoi when various ATCs wanted us to confirm our Airline and registration, many needed it to be transmitted several times, especially India for some reason, they had a lot of trouble believing that Vietnam Airlines had a registration of VH-RMA.
Then there were the long haul Qantas guys operating from Europe to OZ who heard these Aussies voices heading for either Hanoi or Moscow and were not sure what they hearing was correct either.
Post #90 - names to faces/where are they now??
Tinpis:
“shakin’…RIP little brother”.
Are you sure? I saw him a few months ago if it’s who I think it is (see later).
Back Row, L to R:
“shakin’…RIP little brother”.
Are you sure? I saw him a few months ago if it’s who I think it is (see later).
Back Row, L to R:
- Brian W****r, nice guy (I became a great fan when he threw an FOI off the jumpseat in Canberra one morning, not for nothing was his nick-name “Tiger”), went back to Ansett.
- Mark R*******r still with Cathay.
- Greg M****r, was a B777 captain with Cathay, now with V-Australia.
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Roger H*****d – I don’t know where he went.
- Unknown
- Ken J*****d, became ill shortly afterwards although the last time I saw him (2/3 months ago?) he seemed much improved.
- 4. Phil J****s, top bloke, was an Airbus captain with Cathay, then MFS and now DFO of Alliance in Brisbane.
Silly Old Git
Back Row, L to R:
* Brian W****r, nice guy (I became a great fan when he threw an FOI off the jumpseat in Canberra one morning, not for nothing was his nick-name “Tiger”), went back to Ansett.
* Mark R*******r still with Cathay.
er... thats Shakin' (Steve F*****m) actually. Passed several years ago
* Brian W****r, nice guy (I became a great fan when he threw an FOI off the jumpseat in Canberra one morning, not for nothing was his nick-name “Tiger”), went back to Ansett.
* Mark R*******r still with Cathay.
er... thats Shakin' (Steve F*****m) actually. Passed several years ago
Err, well it sure looked like KJ to me. But I'd be glad to be wrong, I hope he's still with us though.
What's your point with the BW and MR identification?
What's your point with the BW and MR identification?
Dora-9, I think the point Tinpis is making is that you have the wrong pair of white shoes and the guy you think is Mark R is actually Steve F. I'm intrigued as to how all these guys were together in the UK though.
Silly Old Git
I'm intrigued as to how all these guys were together in the UK though.
Enroute Shakin' decides to have a quiet six in the Cathay lounge Chinee get all cats bum face because we on staff travel.. drink more, tell Chinee rude word
Shakin' manages to jack up a root but doesnt have the time....
