In 1980 I ran for the Nevada State Senate district 4. I lost miserably
only because I was uninformed, unprepared and both of my size 9 triple E's
were continually in my mouth.
I got fired from Hilton shortly after that and moved to Cairo, Egypt to
fly for Air Trans another CIA cutout. After the Camp David accords were
signed in 1979 each country, Egypt and Israel were required to operate 4
flights a week into the others country. Of course, El Al pilots didn't mind
flying into Cairo but you could not find an Egyptian pilot that would fly
into Tel Aviv. So an Egyptian airline was formed called Nefertiti Airlines
with me as chief pilot to fly the 4 flights a week into Tel Aviv. On our
off time we flew subcontract for Egyptair throughout Europe and Africa. All
this, of course was just a cover for our real missions which was all kinds
of nefarious gun running throughout Europe and Africa which we did in our
spare time.
And now that our beloved 40th president has passed on I can tell you
that in fact (with my apologies to Michael Reagan) the October Surprise was
true. The October surprise for those of you that don't remember happened
during October of 1980 when Reagan and Bush were running against Carter and
Mondale George Bush was flown in a BAC 111 one Saturday night to Paris to
meet with the Ayatollah Khomeini. Bush offered the Khomeini a deal whereby if he
would delay the release of the hostages held in Tehran until Reagans
inauguration, the administration would supply unlimited guns and ammunition
to the Iranians.
In order to get Bush back for a Sunday morning brunch so that nobody
would be alerted to his absence he was flown back in an SR-71 from Reims
field near Paris to McGuire AFB.
Of course Reagan won, the hostages were released and one of my jobs in
Cairo was to deliver those arms from Tel Aviv to Tehran.
Unfortunately, the first airplane in, an Argentinean CL-44 was shot down
by the Russians just south of Yerevan and Mossad who was running the
operation didn't want to risk sending my 707. The arms where eventually
delivered through Dubai, across the Persian Gulf and directly into Terhan.
During the 2 years I was in Cairo I averaged 180 hours a month with a
top month of 236 hours in a 31 day period. I spent a 6 week tour in
Khartoum flying cows to Saana, North Yemen in an old Rolls Royce powered 707.
Back in Las Vegas in December of 1982 I sat on my ass until I was out
of money, again, and then went to work for Global Int'l Airlines in Kansas
City, another CIA cutout run by Farhad Azima, an Iranian with a bonafide
Gold Plated Get Out of Jail Free card flying 707's until they collapsed in
October of 83.
During the summer of 1983 the FAA celebrated its 25th Anniversary at
the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. There was much
fanfare and speech making and 2 honored guests. Bill Conrad from Miami, Florida
who had the most type ratings, I think over 50. And myself. I had the most
airman certificates issued of any other airman.
After Global's collapse I went went to work for American Trans Air
flying 707's. I wrote their international navigation manual as MNPS for
North Atlantic operations was just being implemented and became the first FAA
designated check airman for MNPS navigation. ATA then added 727's and then
Lockheed L-1011's. For a very brief time I was qualified as captain in all
three.
After getting fired from ATA in July of 1989 I became a freight dog
flying DC-8's for Rosenbalm Aviation which became Flagship Express and
after that airline collapsed I was hired as Chief pilot for Patriot
Airlines out of Stead Field in Reno, flying cargo 727's from Miami to South America.
After getting fired from Patriot I went to work for Connie Kalitta flying
DC-8s then the L-1011 on which I was a check airman. Kalitta sold out to
Kitty Hawk International which went bankrupt in May of 2000.
I was 57 at the time and nobody is going to hire an old f*ck for two
and a half years except to fly sideways so I turned in my stripes and ever
present flask of Courvoisier. Except for one last fling in March of 2001
where I flew the Hadj for a Cambodian Airline flying L-1011's under
contract to Air India. We were based in New Delhi and flew to Jeddah from all
throughout India. There was absolutely no paperwork, no FAA, no BS and for
6 weeks we just moved Hadji's back and forth to Saudi Arabia.
One final note, in October of 1999 I had the honor and extreme pleasure
to get checked out in a Lockheed CF-104D Starfighter. My instructor was
Darryl Greenamyer, the airplane was owned by Mark and Gretchen Sherman of
Phoenix. It was the highlight of my aviation career particularly because I
survived my first and only SFO in a high performance fighter.
One other thing, some how I managed to get he following type ratings:
707/720/727, Convair 240/340/440, DC-3, DC-8, B-26, Gulfstream 1, Lockheed
Constellation, Lear Jet series, HS-125, Lockheed L-1011, Lockheed L-18,
Lockheed P-38, Martin 202/404, B-17, B-25, Grumman TBM and Ford Trimotor.
I also have single and multi engine sea, rotorcraft helicopter and gyroplane,
and lighter than air free balloon. I never got all categories having missed
the Airship. And in case you are interested many, many airmen have lots
more type ratings.
What I did get, that no other airman got was most FAA certificates: these are
the ATP, Flight Instructor with airplane single and multi engine, instrument, rotorcraft helicopter and gyroplane and glider. Flight Navigator, Flight Engineer,
Senior Parachute Rigger, Control Tower Operator, A&P, Ground Instructor,
Advanced and Instrument and Aircraft Dispatcher. I have 19,488 hours of
total time of which 15,325 hours is in 1,2,3 or 4 engine jet. I took a total of
181 FAA (or designated check airman) check rides and failed 2.
Of the thousands of times I knowingly violated an FAA regulation I was
only caught once but never charged or prosecuted.
The farthest I have ever been off course was 321 miles left over the
South China Sea in a 707 on New Years day 1977 on a flight from Taipai.
The deviation was not caught by Hong Kong, Manila or Singapore radar and I
penetrated six zero to unlimited restricted areas west of the Philippines.
I landed in Singapore 7 minutes late without further incident.
How, you ask, did I get so far off course? The short answer is I was
napping at the controls. I have flown just about everywhere except Russia,
China, Mongolia, Korea, Antarctica, Australia or New Zealand. I am a senior
vice-commander of the American Legion Post No.1 Shanghai, China (Generals
Ward, Chennault and Helseth) (operating in exile) and a 21 year member of
the Special Operations Association.
Now some of you may be asking why so many airlines collapsed that I
worked for and why I got fired so many times. My excuse is simple. I am
not the brightest crayon in the box, I am extremely lazy, I have a smart
mouth and a real poor f*cking attitude.
