EGTE: sounds about right! As far as I know he had a lifetime ban from Dunks though, since about 1977. Something to do with chasing the CFI (sadly now the late, BP), around the airfield in an aircraft.

Let us just remind ourselves that "donkey" stops in the wrong places with monotonous regularity. I also think your understanding of the word 'special' is at odds with mine and others.

Are you really championing someone who keeps putting a clearly un-airworthy aircraft into these situations? The Cub would not have been crashed, stripped and in need of a rebuild had Kirk flown it responsibly in the first place.

But hey, if he's your idea of a hero keep banging that drum. Just don't be surprised when others point out the flaws in that idolatry and the double standards.

This is interesting. Obviously I agree with some points that are being made, but we must be fair.

MK's son tells me his father had paid for the Cub to have much maintenance for it to be in good shape. And so his son cannot understand why the problems on this trip.

I think MK says somewhere that oil was leaking so he put it down in South Sudan. But he says he could have flown on.

From the stories I've seen, the Cub was late in leaving Dorset but managed to catch the Rally by Egypt.

Seemed like MK was rushing things to meet them and had a number of failures en route. Will be interesting to see his progress to Cape Town

If that Cub was put in "good shape" commercially there must now be lawsuits aplenty flying around. Its appalling failure record shows is was clearly never fit to fly in the first instance. Any chance numerous self-modifications had a part to play? Surely not?

It will be interesting to see if the KAA takes as irresponsible an attitude as the UK CAA do/did to allowing this lunatic to pollute their airspace.

I well know they can be pretty stiff when it suits them and a well publicised but unauthorised "ferry flight" in a dangerously botched Cub might well prompt the KAA into action. In any case a self-righteous, loudmouth rules-averse Mzungu like Maurice is exactly what winds up the Uhuru crowd to breaking point. Good for them!

I, for one, do not wish him luck. I wish him firmly grounded where he can do no further harm to the reputation of aviation of which he has already left a shameful and disgraceful legacy.

He possesses no skills or attributes that any aspiring aviator needs or wants. His best legacy is to be used as a shameful training example representing all that a good aviator should not be.

It seems although some would not vote for MK often because some argue he could try more to prevent emergencies, it seems one of his skills (which others may not have) is that he consistently successfully lands his Cub in an emergency??

You mean like the one he ditched in the Caribbean or the one he smashed up downtown somewhere in Japan?
Neither of those were "successful" IMHO...

Obviously the landing in Japan looks...... But how could anyone recommend he land differently when he has a donkey stop 75 miles from the coast ?

Which leaves us with his account on his video plus this Africa trip, that he has unscheduled landings very many times.

Perhaps we should propose MK and TCT for a joint award for collectively achieving the most to damage to public perception of light aviation?

That would at least bring balance to the Farce.

PDR

Would Jay Sata have proposed this award if the whole TCT saga had never occurred?

PDR1


Not too sure what damage MK has done to the public's perception of light aviation. If he makes it to Cape Town, which looks as though it may yet happen, to me that looks like an achievement....well it does in my book. Public probably won't even notice he has made it but I say "good on him" !!!

If your interested in how MK is perceived you may like to read the last few posts. Even if you don't agree it should give you an insight into how he comes over to some people.

Well why not ask the UK CAA, the Sudan CAA, the Japanese CAA, the U.S. Deporting Department (whatever they are called) the Crete to Cape race organisers, the Sydney Race organisers.....need I go on?

Those organisations are not the public.

He is complex and so the detail in any incident means things are not as some say.

To keep it short one example - the USA authorities are known to be hawkish over security and a hawkish approach to security was the reason for that episode not his flying. He landed six miles away, so when he met them he was on foot with a camera looking eccentric and flying was not the issue.

Quite right they are not the public. They are there to listen to public opinion and to protect the publics' interests and safety.

By the way it seems you can now probably add the Kenya CAA to that list.

Wow. Government bodies listen to public opinion? Nah.
But yes I do know what you mean and tend to agree.

In reply to Hobbit 1983 Kirk has been around UK aviation for decades more that TCT and has a 'reputation' for not taking authority kindly.

There is no intention on my part to link TCT and Kirk. They are at different ends of the GA spectrum.

We in the developed world live in a scenario where paperwork and regulation are primary issues in day to day life.

Kirk finds himself in a more basic practical landscape.

Despite setbacks he never gives up.

Nice to see his helpers are wearing hi viz vests.:ok:https://mauricejohnkirk.files.wordpr...1-cub-work.jpg

I am not sure what the rubber tubing is for but a couple of jubilee clips might be a good idea on the joint.

Who will sign this off? Who knows!

Based on the various views on this thread, as well as some private messages, I believe the Air League Awards Committee will have an interesting discussion about him on 11 Jan.
I think the tubing takes fuel from (plastic) containers in the front cockpit to the main tank!
One can only admire his perseverance when most others would have abandoned the aeroplane in the Bush, and high tailed it home!

For the love of God Terry.
Why is an LAA award more fitting than an Air league one?
A few bungees, Gaffer tape and Silicon are the norm for LAA types I suppose?
You really take the biscuit.:mad:

LAA award ! !......Are you serious !
I think that the only recognition that Kirk will be getting from the LAA is when Chief Insp. Craigie comes hammering on his door . Accompanied by the CAA Surveyor whose remit covers the LAA.
And besides ,,,,the LAA will probably be doing some serious vetting [ouch sorry] on any future award nominees after the last mistake they made. Remember that one Mr Holloway ?
No more AGM's mired in controversy please . Them old boys can still bite , once they've refitted their teeth from the Steradent jar.