Mal Smith from Pacific Helicopters Passed Away
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Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Auckland, New Zealand
Mal Smith from Pacific Helicopters Passed Away
Today is the end of an era - we lost one of life's true good bastards. Mal Smith created and grew Pacific Helicopters in the jungles of PNG and was probably the most straight shooting person you would ever meet - but also had the kindest heart when needed. I was privileged to have made a few trips to the jungles of PNG to work with Mal and his amazing crew. Mal passed away last night.
Joined: Aug 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 264
Likes: 55
From: Hedge
Found out this morning that Mal passed away. Covid related apparantly.
He could be an ornery bugger sometimes, but all respect to him and what he achieved in PNG and elsewhere.
RIP Mal. You were an icon of the industry.
He could be an ornery bugger sometimes, but all respect to him and what he achieved in PNG and elsewhere.
RIP Mal. You were an icon of the industry.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 71
From: Wanaka, NZ
Mal Smith, DFC. Landed his Sioux helicopter in a minefield in the Long Hai hills of Vietnam a number of times to medivac wounded Australian soldiers from 8th Battalion RAR. A humble man. He certainly built an aviation empire in PNG. I think the largest civilian order of H500 helicopters ever.
