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'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.

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? :=

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

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.

Terry Holloway has posted this on Maurice's facebook page.

Many thanks Terry.

I hope he can fix the Cub and make it to Kenya.

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.

"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 :ok:

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.

This is the latest from Maurice via his facebook page.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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

I have managed to track the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Chief Pilot and Operations Manager for Kenya and South Sudan, who might be worth contacting. He is experienced in operations on PC12 and C206 in South Sudan and Kenya out of small landing strips. His name Ryan Cuthel and possibly an Aussie. As he is familiar with the region, I wondered if he might be able to help, such as getting the spares to Maurice, transporting Maurice somewhere, and assisting Maurice with the paperwork. As MAF is highly regarded in this region, I suspect Ryan Cuthel may be able to smooth things over with the authorities.

The problem is I do not have Ryan's e-mail, so I wondered if someone who is on linkedin (Terry?) could contact him. Below is his Linkedin page

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-cuthel-1b031664

Very glad that Maurice is in safe hands, though saddened that his Rally ended this way.

I agree with some of the comments on this thread, and disagree with others!

Fly safe, Sam.

Sam.................


Who says that his Rally has ended? Just need Maurice to recover and then get G-KURK back in the air and he will be on his way again.......!!!

Yup, I agree with that!

His Rally has ended, not necessarily his attempt to fly to the Cape...

Maurice will obviously continue some how, but surely Sam will sort out the paper work from South Sudan to Kenya?

I've sent a message to him

Terry Holloway.............

Thanks Terry, I have emailed MAF UK today, so hope to hear from their office on Monday. I will keep you updated. Above the clouds has also sent a message via Linkedin, but there is nothing wrong with a three pronged approach. I think Ryan Cuthel is based in Nairobi, so hopefully he picks up emails on a regular basis.

I will keep you updated. Do we have a way of contacting Maurice in the event we can get him help, for example mobile, email, consulate, embassy or police?

"On the plus side the prop fitted I believe was wooden which 99% of the time may not require an engine to be inspected after suspected shock-loading."
Given who it is and where it is , that made me spill my coffee :D:D

From my experience with Piper "Cub" type airframes, if you have damaged the prop, and a main gear in one event, there is most likely more damage to the plane than first look would reveal, particularly if that first look is made with a view to continuing a trip, rather than making the plane genuinely airworthy again. If the pilot of such an event is reporting a headache, that pilot is probably not fit to fly until either examined, or at least a very good rest.

If an aircraft with doubtful airworthiness is flown out for repairs (and I've done it many times), your route should be toward safety and good maintenance capability, and not the continuation of an adventure, disregarding the need for a comprehensive inspection. In the absence of proper repair and a thorough inspection of the airframe, likely another defect makes itself known, and probably at an even less convention time/place.

Getting a stranded pilot "parts" like a tire, or more oil is one thing, but when that parts are as comprehensive as a replacement prop and main gear, simply getting the parts there is not enough. We are not doing Mr. Kirk a favour by saying "here, we got parts to you!". 'Nice sentiment, but there's more to it than just that....

Given the number of engine failures this a/c has had "genuine airworthiness" does not seem historically to have been a primary goal, if indeed it was ever a goal at all.

Someone on Facebook has asked if there are any pictures showing the condition of the aircraft since its forced landing, that would certainly help define what happens next as far as trying to fly the aircraft again.

Been reading the Saturday Times Newspaper and in there is a column about a crash of a Boeing Stearman in the rally, father and daughter from Ireland. Both walked away from the upturned wreck.

Now someone on this thread has made the suggestion that the RAF often has a C-130 lurking around Kenya and that he might be able to get some help to the hopeless cause.

I flew for 16 years in Transport Command and its successive guises for 16 years and I could tell you a myriad of stories about how it used to be possible on "training flights" to take a 4-engined aircraft to Machrihanish in order to get fresh lobsters and kippers for a dining-in night (just as a modest example).

I even remember a famous AOC using a Beverley to move soil and associated carp from Nairobi to Aden for his garden.

Surely those days have gone?

Anyone nowadays who is found out to have used MoD equipment to rescue an elderly eccentric from the middle of darkest Africa in order for said eccentric to continue his fantasy for another 50 miles or so is a very brave man indeed.

Let us be realistic, get MK home in one piece and leave his Cub to rot into the African bush. You can get another one for £30k.

Just how long do you think you can you operate a C-130 for £30k?

The taxpayers (including me) will want to know.

Believe it or not JW411, taxpayers money does get squandered on military aircraft flying around aimlessly. Many are flying around the Med looking for boat-people seeking that fantasy which you speak about. :rolleyes:

I understand that Maurice needs a few parts to get the girl airborne but what I don't understand is why insurers don't seemingly appear to be on-board sorting the logistics out. :confused:

Has he contacted the insurers?

Does his policy cover that?

Quoting from Jetblu :
"I understand that Maurice needs a few parts to get the girl airborne but what I don't understand is why insurers don't seemingly appear to be on-board sorting the logistics out. "

Hmm - if Mr Kirk is operating to his normal standards "insurers" are unlikely to be involved. I think that may be one of the things he 'doesn't believe in', like airworthiness.

Get him back to a safe place and leave the wreck where it is.

Latest update from Maurice's Facebook

Admitted to a Juba clinic with diagnosed Malaria, a septicaemic leg, with a high white cell count and a fever.

As an aside, if you genuinely believe that he does not have the hull insured, that is not unlawful and neither is it criminal, but, wishing that he leaves his 'wreck' [your words] perhaps again demonstrates a little more about yourself.

Biscuit74 and BEagle;

I'm afraid I'm with you on this. Get him home safe, leave the aeroplane where it is. From personal dealings with Mr Kirk I suspect that many of his supporters on here have never met him.

I'd be very worried if I was the LAA inspector who signed the aircraft off. Because if questions are asked it will all be someone else's fault and nothing to do with MK.

SND

If some loon was trying to drive his battered 1943 car from the UK to Cape Town and had a puncture and broke his suspension, and crunched his drive shaft (propeller) ...twice....and also found himself with no paperwork, in darkest Africa, who would suggest calling out the FCO, the Embassy, the RAF, the local S @R twice, or anyone else?
No one would give a toss.