What Ho, Chaps!
Wing Commander Percival Prune CDM & Bar here, call me Percy for short.
Howdy let me introduce myself.
I'm Percy Prune a flier of sorts, a man of many parts, born in Bengal at the end of the war (What war, you say) the Boer War of course!
I joined the jolly ol' RAF as an AC1 at 19, and very soon after became a Sgt Pilot, flying the jolly ol' Chipmunk, the one that sorted the men from the boys.
Once I got commissioned (how that came about is another story) I became an Officer and a Gentleman, my mother would tell you I was always one of those.
Wing Commander Percival Prune CDM & Bar here, call me Percy for short.
Howdy let me introduce myself.
I'm Percy Prune a flier of sorts, a man of many parts, born in Bengal at the end of the war (What war, you say) the Boer War of course!
I joined the jolly ol' RAF as an AC1 at 19, and very soon after became a Sgt Pilot, flying the jolly ol' Chipmunk, the one that sorted the men from the boys.
Once I got commissioned (how that came about is another story) I became an Officer and a Gentleman, my mother would tell you I was always one of those.
First thing you have to understand that not all officers are pilots or gentlemen, and secondly that not all pilots are fliers' .
In my view a pilot often as not, gets to an aircraft, it could be an Avocet or a mahogany bomber, as far as they're concerned they are at the office, and they are in charge, fetch me this, do this, do that, do the other.
But to me a flier is very different, when he or she (very nice to see a lot more of these) first thing they do is stand back and take it all in, then they approach it slowly and methodically, caressing and stroking its many parts, as it it were a thoroughbred horse, when they have checked its mouth, it's fetlocks lifting each foot in turn they move to the interior in the same way.
Even when they enter the aircraft, they still find time to check any cargo is secure, check the crew and passengers are all arrived and are happy to fly with him/her, only then will her/she commence their PFC's.
But I digress, for me time flew just about as much as I did, after the chippie, came the Harvard T5, then a twin course on the ol' AVRO Anson and on to a tour as an Flying Officer on the ol' Percival Pembroke, and the the DC3 (C-47G).
In my view a pilot often as not, gets to an aircraft, it could be an Avocet or a mahogany bomber, as far as they're concerned they are at the office, and they are in charge, fetch me this, do this, do that, do the other.
But to me a flier is very different, when he or she (very nice to see a lot more of these) first thing they do is stand back and take it all in, then they approach it slowly and methodically, caressing and stroking its many parts, as it it were a thoroughbred horse, when they have checked its mouth, it's fetlocks lifting each foot in turn they move to the interior in the same way.
Even when they enter the aircraft, they still find time to check any cargo is secure, check the crew and passengers are all arrived and are happy to fly with him/her, only then will her/she commence their PFC's.
But I digress, for me time flew just about as much as I did, after the chippie, came the Harvard T5, then a twin course on the ol' AVRO Anson and on to a tour as an Flying Officer on the ol' Percival Pembroke, and the the DC3 (C-47G).
Following a visit to an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) for multi-engined course, came the Handley Page Hastings, then the Bristol Britannia, affectionately known as the whispering giant,
Another visit to the OCU, brought me up to speed, with jets, firstly as a liaison officer with De-Havilland as they developed the Comet 4 which later converted became the much maligned Nimrod.
So here I am a 65 year old has been, has been everything and everywhere all things for all men, jack of all trades and master of none.
Now I'd better check if we are ready for our descent, I can see ice cold beers waiting for us in the bar
Bottoms Up!
Now I'd better check if we are ready for our descent, I can see ice cold beers waiting for us in the bar
Bottoms Up!
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