While I still have two days left in Tanzania, with one bird down for maintenance and a surplus of drivers, and considering all the extra flying I've done this tour training others, I'm now off the flying schedule as of six this morning, having covered an uneventful night shift. This life of six weeks on, six weeks off, is difficult at times. Six weeks away from home and family living in Third World conditions, then almost as difficult, six weeks away from helicopters! It ain't easy!
The photo above was taken in the venerable ole S61, flying offshore Nova Scotia. I was flying between five hundred and six hundred hours a year, and never had my hands off the controls for more than two weeks at a time, if that. I sorely miss that job. I didn't leave by choice, my company lost the contract, and I've been touring internationally ever since. I truly do love flying the Italian AW139, my favourite helicopter by a wide margin. It's my first modern helicopter, and it's fast, powerful, and maneuverable, and the SAR hoisting component only adds to the fun. I will miss taking her up into the East African sky. With all the check rides and training, with recurrencies and new hires and guys new on type or to offshore, I've been getting significantly more stick time than most, but I still crave that Nova Scotia flying. Fingers crossed.
An update on the watch. After a taxing process and daily frustrated calls and emails to DHL and Tanzanian customs, I finally had that 771 Squadron Torgoen T16 on my wrist, for perhaps two hours. Waterproof to 100m, I didn't take it off for a snorkel on the reef and it subsequently flooded. Next tour Justin will bring it's replacement. Nevertheless, I did manage to capture a few good shots...
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