Vale Jun Kwan In

[Captain Sherm]

Captain Jun Kwan In

It had been my intention to leave these pages to others more competent than I to understand the subtle nuances of the industry. However from time to time events happen that demand a remembrance, and have a force that pushes personal issues and pique well into the shadows.

One such event was the sad news of the passing of an admired colleague from earlier years in my career in the Land of the Morning Calm, my friend Captain Jun Kwan In.

Jun Kwan In was the chief instructor on the MD-80 when the first Australians and Americans arrived in Korea to fly the MD-80. With excellent English and a friendly personality he helped many on their otherwise fairly terrible induction to the fleet. His intricately detailed “mud-maps” of what instructors expected to see in training on the approaches to such fun spots as Pohang, Sachon and Jeju were very helpful. When next home I will frame my annotated Jepp chart for the Pohang RW 28 as a reminder of those days. He made no comment on the inanity of much of the required detail, simply intimating that this was the entry fee to a great life.

Jun had been a Cobra gunship pilot with the ROK Army, based along the DMZ and flying patrols in all weather. His stories (and you just had to know they were true) of terrain hugging high speed sorties in low visibility were spell-binding. Not the least was his snagging several hundred feet of aerial cable and surviving.

Unusually for someone not previously anointed as an F-5 driver with the ROKAF, Jun’s career progressed well and along with the initially difficult but later beloved colleague Captain Park Ki Wan, transitioned to the very first B777 course in 1996. He was soon appointed the first B777 Chief Pilot under the restructuring program that saw KAL climb tortuously from some very horrible ashes to become an amazing carrier now, with 30 B777s in the huge long-haul fleet. And the B777 as the “Gold Standard”. Jun Kwan In oversaw the induction of scores and scores of expats onto the B777 from B757 and 767 backgrounds. He completely understood the need to go “back to basics” in training and SOPs and followed Boeing procedures to the letter. He listened to advice, learned from mistakes and was generous of spirit, always helpful and despite the burden of not being a former fighter pilot, held his head high in a world not always friendly to his outlook and methods.

One habit which troubled many of the stodgier fleet managers his habit of sounding a gong and standing to attention (wearing a B777 baseball hat) to salute when the early evenings brought the beautiful B777-300s into view from the windows of the 8th floor HQ at Gimpo as the approached short final for RW 33R on their return from the days outings to Hong Kong and Manila.

Unusual in Korea, and maybe much of Asia, Jun Kwan In was a genuine Hoon, with a capital H. He was taller than average, and accentuated that with high heeled black cowboy boots. He drove a nitro-injected supercharged black Cadillac complete with a GPS tracker for police speed cameras. I believe he holds the record for the Icheon-Gimpo journey at something like 17 minutes. I can’t say for sure because I was on board and mostly had my eyes shut. We were late for a senior management meeting but arrived on time!

Circumstance and lesser mortals slowly ground Jun down and his later years were but pale shadows of his better times. Nevertheless he died as he lived, a proud Korean, a fine airman, and a beloved father and husband.

I am sure that the Australians who got to know him will join me in wishing his family well and will never forget his welcoming charm which acknowledged not the barriers of race, pomposity or background.

Safe flying on your last journey my beloved friend. You deserve the long awaited rest. I salute you.

Sherm.