REKINDLING PAST MEMORIES

16 April 2012. Time 0830. I am at the front seat of Kris Sakti aerobatic aircraft. Ahmad Najhan a former MiG-29D pilot of the Royal Malaysian Air Force is at the back flying the aircraft. We taxi the aircraft zigzagging since our view is restricted by the design of the cockpit.

Datuk Halim Othman a former MiG 29 pilot and Imran an ex-maritime pilot are inside the other aircraft ready for formation take off. At 60 knots Najhan rotates but it seems our aircraft is stubborn to lift off. Finally it lifts of the ground. As we get higher the other aircraft closes in and we are all the way flying in formation to the training area in Port Klang.

Once we reach the training area we do general handling exercise.

This flight is a reminiscence of the past way back in 1973 when I did flying training at the RMAF Flying Training School and I clocked 47 hours on Bulldog and I did my solo after 13 hours.

“We are ready for the loop Sir!” Najhan warns me. I am ready for it. It is not like in a Bulldog we have to dive and gain speed with full throttle to initiate a loop. This Kris Sakti is very powerful. Both aircraft Sakti 1 and 2 just simply climb and continue and in few seconds my head is upside down and my legs facing the sky. Then I see the ground is coming closer. Of course we recover and back to level flight.

We operate from 1,000 -1,500 feet.

Imran gives me plastic back just in case I get air sick. But I think I can still stand 7 Gs and I really enjoy each and every maneuver .

On the way back Najhan hands over the control to me. The aircraft is very responsive. I do roll . Najhan knows I have lost the touch of the control column for the past almost 40 years. Najhan helps me first to bank the control column and slowly my head is upside down again. 

I thank Najhan for reminding me of the past strapped in that cockpit. I can still remember of my early days flying low circling the school and make the teachers and their students leaving the classrooms. Life is beautiful in its own way.

AFTER FLIGHT DEBRIEF

All of us are no longer military men. This is a totally different milieu. No uniform. No parade. No Duty Officers. Yet the military has inculcated us with discipline and punctuality. The scenario is a little bit different. Yet rules and procedures have still to be adhered to. 

Datuk Halim gives the debrief after the mission. We have to study and revise the flaws and shortcomings in the air.