Bev and I spent two weeks back in 98 with both Pip and Tom Moon (killed at Temora recently) on the Federal funded Australian Bicentenial Air Show which brought a full world class airshow to 10 Queensland outback towns in a travelling circus style of event. Hundreds of thousands of people travelled thousands of kilometres to see the shows.
I was in the more sedate program with a 1937 Beechcraft Staggerwing doing a few very limited manouvres for the crowd.
Tom Moon, ever the gentleman, did a very neat precise aerobatic routine. On the other hand Pip did an equally good display but with the showman's touch - fancy flying suit etc and talking on the radio through the loadspeakers describing each manouvre as he did them. Despite his spectacular "on-stage" performances you could not meet a nicer, down to earth fellow. Unlike many display pilots, Pip's routine was designed for business reasons not around an ego.
It's just part of the game and I have been to an average of one funeral a year for the last 40 years of military, display or working (crop duster, mustering, helicopters etc) aircraft pilots whom I knew personally. If you want to fly and don't mind the boring sector of aviation to gaurantee a long life fly airlines!
Lang
Last edited by Lang; 28-02-09 at 01:25.
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