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Maurice Kirk is in Africa

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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 08:34
  #161 (permalink)  
 
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There seem to be two issues here. One is about helping him out of whatever problem he's managed to get himself into and it should go without saying that any pilot on here would try to assist. However, patience would run thin when you see that Kirk is a serial offender who just keeps making the same mistakes and to hell with the consequences for everyone else.

The second is the implied criticism of Sam Rutherford's company. He can't win. If he refused to take Kirk there would be an outcry from some. So, he has agreed to have Kirk as part of the exped. There's no doubt a contract between them that requires both sides to perform. It would appear that Kirk has frustrated that. His comments from his Facebook account show he is insulting people at pre-exped get togethers, the locals and now Rutherford. He has decided to do his own thing in his way and expects everyone else to drop what they are doing to come and help him. Again, Rutherford can't win. Any reasonable person looking at Kirk's website and Facebook account and doing a search on Google would surely come to the conclusion that he is a deliberately awkward, selfish and contentious person whose troubles have largely been brought about by himself.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 08:50
  #162 (permalink)  
 
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I've been using as many contacts as I can in the FCO and the Miitary to try to get help to Maurice.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 09:11
  #163 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by terry holloway
I've been using as many contacts as I can in the FCO and the Miitary to try to get help to Maurice.
That is very good news Terry; much better than some of the schadenfreude being posted here.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 09:21
  #164 (permalink)  
 
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I too would help and assist Maurice if I could. Unfortunately, I have no contacts in his neck of the woods.

Clairprop

You and a few others keep spitting vitriol towards Maurice. It's called 'jumping on the bandwagon pushing untruths because you can.'

"Kirk is a serial offender who just keeps making the same mistakes and to hell with the consequences for everyone else".

Says you. Any evidence? Or you just pushing what you have heard from dubious sources?

"His comments from his Facebook account show he is insulting people at pre-exped get togethers"

Could it be that he was insulted in the first instance? We know that he is not shy by retaliation.

"Google would surely come to the conclusion that he is a deliberately awkward, selfish and contentious person whose troubles have largely been brought about by himself".

Google doesn't show that at all. I suggest you go back and carefully read the counter. It displays corruption through and through.

....and one other thing, you go on about Maurice bending a few rules. What about the establishment which you hold in high regard deliberately and blatantly breaking the law?
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 09:46
  #165 (permalink)  
 
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There seems to be a number of issues here
Obviously Kirk can fly and seems to survive his forced landings
How someone can get lost with modern GPS units ?

Then we come to the aircraft which doesn't seem up to the job continually failing
His biggest problems seem to be unreliability and lack of equipment ?

The aircraft needs attention the rest ? If I was on that trip in a similar performance aircraft I would happily buddy up and fly alongside him to get him there
Am I missing something here ?

I have flown a ferry Florida to South Africa in a Citation S2 six years ago which obviously isn't anything like the same but took me 32 hours from Florida on the north route

Looking down I often wondered how great it would be low and slow over Africa ))

I had a very dear friend who continued flying Atlantic ferries in single props at 78 years of age
He had the same spirit although he had a lot more guts than I
He sadly crashed in Canada and died but was a great inspiration to me

I very much hope Captain Kirk with his star ship enterprise fulfils his ambition

Last edited by Pace; 3rd Dec 2016 at 10:09.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 09:58
  #166 (permalink)  
 
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People are hardly 'spitting vitriol' by reporting the history of Kirk's behaviour; neither has anyone wished him any harm.

If his aeroplane needs a new propeller, how was the current one damaged and was it under power at the time? If it was, then the crankshaft may have been shock-loaded, risking an engine failure when the new propeller is eventually fitted.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 10:17
  #167 (permalink)  
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Terry Holloway has posted this on Maurice's facebook page.

Maurice, I have been talking to one or two Senior people to see how we can help from here, and that conversation is ongoing. In the meantime the advice now is for your FCO contacts to talk to the PJHQ in the U.K. to ask if there are any British Military in the area who can render assistance. There might be, and the RAF OFTEN HAVE A C130 in the
Many thanks Terry.

I hope he can fix the Cub and make it to Kenya.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 10:22
  #168 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by clareprop
There seem to be two issues here. One is about helping him out of whatever problem he's managed to get himself into and it should go without saying that any pilot on here would try to assist. However, patience would run thin when you see that Kirk is a serial offender who just keeps making the same mistakes and to hell with the consequences for everyone else.

The second is the implied criticism of Sam Rutherford's company. He can't win. If he refused to take Kirk there would be an outcry from some. So, he has agreed to have Kirk as part of the exped. There's no doubt a contract between them that requires both sides to perform. It would appear that Kirk has frustrated that. His comments from his Facebook account show he is insulting people at pre-exped get togethers, the locals and now Rutherford. He has decided to do his own thing in his way and expects everyone else to drop what they are doing to come and help him. Again, Rutherford can't win. Any reasonable person looking at Kirk's website and Facebook account and doing a search on Google would surely come to the conclusion that he is a deliberately awkward, selfish and contentious person whose troubles have largely been brought about by himself.
I have been critical of Maurice in the past, and I hold no particular torch for him. However I have spent the last three hours on the phone to various well connected friends (from an organisation that both Sam Rutherford are members of) trying hard, very hard, to provide help for him from within East Africa, as well as from elsewhere. As fellow aviators we need to help him if we can, and having read his Facebook posts I have a huge personal sympathy for the predicament he finds himself in.
You are right re Sam; he can't win and I imagine he perhaps regrets taking him on the rally in the first place. It's too late now to use hindsight.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 10:47
  #169 (permalink)  
 
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"I imagine he perhaps regrets taking him on the rally in the first place"

I doubt that either. A huge fee was involved. From what I can make out, Sam still has that.

Maurice has said on his Facebook that he has been asking for a copy of flight plans from Sam. Maurice infers that his troubles in Sudan have been brought on by lack of paper-work from Sam ?? Maurice also goes on to say the reason for him signing-up in the first instance was because he didn't want the hassles of the paperwork.

"I have been critical of Maurice in the past, and I hold no particular torch for him. However I have spent the last three hours on the phone to various well connected friends"

Well done Terry
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 12:06
  #170 (permalink)  
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Passionate posters, Can we focus on Maurice's progress through Africa please. Maurice or Sam may post should they choose, speculation on their behalf has no value.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 12:33
  #171 (permalink)  
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This is the latest from Maurice via his facebook page.
I am rescued by the British embassy in Juba and might need to go for mrdical asttention due tto searing haed aches
I tery to risk the market now and bya phone
My number, as usual is +7707586202
may not be able to get phone up and running tonight,,,,,,I have no ones phone numbers store as ran out of time in Taunton.....my head ache cannot let me do much
fond regards
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 13:12
  #172 (permalink)  
 
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From that FB update (thanks Jay), I can imagine that Maurice is thinking more about how he feels, rather than getting his plane repaired, and continuing the adventure south as his first priority. Hopefully his headache was caused by the stress of an obviously difficult situation, and not something more injurious - it does sound like he had a hard landing. I hope he has the patience to give it time to get better, before he attempts more demanding flying.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 14:15
  #173 (permalink)  
 
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Terry, well done for your efforts, I've sent you a message.

Does anyone on here have any contacts with the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) UK as they operate C182, C206 and C208 aircraft across South Sudan and Kenya. They are a Christian organisation who fly people in need, food, goods and the odd bible in and out of remote strips, this there website:

https://www.maf-uk.org/place/south-sudan

They did an evacuation during the troubles in Juba in 2014, I guess Maurice would meet their criteria if he needs to be flown to a better place, or needs parts, food or fuel flown in.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 16:11
  #174 (permalink)  
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The tabloids were about to run another pilot missing story but it has now been changed.

The British Embassy for South Sudan has really moved quickly and I think that in part must be credited to Terry Holloway for his excellent input and taking three hours out of a Saturday morning.

Many thanks Terry.

Last edited by Mike Flynn; 3rd Dec 2016 at 19:48.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 19:36
  #175 (permalink)  
 
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Jay

I noticed in a picture posted here he had a large bandage on his leg very poorly attached and didn't look clean
The severe headaches can be other than tension. An infection from a wound, animal, or insect bite.
At least his aircraft should get medical attention and him now
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 20:04
  #176 (permalink)  
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I also noticed that wound on his leg. He is 71 and also very stressed out by his ongoing litigation via the South Wales courts.

If you read his website he has been corresponding with the courts while locked up for four days in South Sudan.

He must be under a lot of pressure while determined to fly the Cub to South Africa.

It would be nice to hear of someone who can get him the parts to fix the Cub.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 21:48
  #177 (permalink)  
 
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Leg wound, undiagnosed headaches post 'forced landing', 71, ongoing legal issues, history of 'stress', missing / stolen equipment, poor comms, dubious aircraft, possibly lost......

This chap, regardless of his history, should not be allowed to fly. I dont want anyone fixing his Cub, I want someone to pack him off both for his own safety and that of others. It really is amazing that other pilots could condone him continuing
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 22:22
  #178 (permalink)  
 
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I think it may come to that in the end. Much as he would want to get to Cape Town, I've a feeling he may well be repatriated to the UK on medical grounds and the Cub will find a new home.

Shame he hasn't got to Kenya - only a cough and a spit away.
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Old 3rd Dec 2016, 23:59
  #179 (permalink)  
 
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Maurice appears to have just said on his wordpress website:-

"Now it appears the rally had no permission either to over-fly South Sudan now putting me in some difficulties with the rally organiser refusing me sight of flight plans proposed."

https://mauricejohnkirk.wordpress.com/

Should Maurice be helped by the rally regards the paper work ? I thought the rally said they were helping until he gets to Kenya?
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Old 4th Dec 2016, 11:00
  #180 (permalink)  
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As Pilot DAR has said, this thread is about MK's progress (or trials and tribulations) through Africa.

It is NOT about MK as an individual nor about TCT.

If you want to resurrect one of the previous MK hamsterwheel threads (there's more than one), feel free to carry on the debate there, but not in this thread.

SD
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