Copy courtesy of African Pilot Newletter – Gordon Dyne
When you mix two real life heroes namely Trevor Arnold and Paul Quick with a talk show host of the calibre of Karl Jensen, then you can expect a talk show of note. These three captains gave the packed EAA auditorium at Rand Airport a night to remember last Thursday. Trevor Arnold’s name may ring more bells with most people, for his heroic actions occurred only six months ago. However, Paul Quick’s two feats in saving an A300 Airbus at Johannesburg Airport in the 1980s and saving an almost full B-747SP in Mozambique in 1998 have sadly slipped from most of our memories. It took all of Karl Jensen’s oratory skills to persuade these two very modest and humble men to elaborate on their actions. The evening began with a presentation to Trevor Arnold of the Polaris Silver Medal. This medal was presented to Trevor by Capt. Rob Rhodes Houghton on behalf of IFALPA (International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations.) This medal is the highest award that can be presented to any pilot for a feat of airmanship. During his short speech Capt. Rhodes Houghton made mention of the fact that since the episode, where the engine separated from the Nationwide airliner at Cape Town Airport in November 2007, the incident has been replicated several times in the simulator. However, on each attempt the airliner flipped on to its back. Say no more. Trevor related to a hushed audience the gripping tale of the engine separation. There was no exaggeration or sensationalism. I think what staggered me and probably most of the audience was the fact that Trevor did not realise that his plane had lost an engine, until he stood on the plane’s steps after the plane came to a standstill. Then his reaction was that of a thoughtful and compassionate man. Where had the three ton engine fallen? How many people were killed or hurt on the ground? His relief on hearing that the engine had fallen on the runway was very evident. An amazing story.
Paul Quick was involved in two incidents, which should have been recognised, but to this day a ‘thank you and a well done’ are his only tributes. Karl Jensen has promised to pursue this matter to ensure that Paul’s feats of incredible airmanship are recognised more formally. Incident one was to land an A300 Airbus at Johannesburg after a tyre burst on take-off damaging a major electrical union in the vicinity of the undercarriage. On landing, the remaining tyres burst causing the Airbus to swing violently in the direction of the damaged wheels. It took all of Paul’s skill to regain the runway centreline with the aircraft tending to yaw badly from side to side. Space does not permit me to write the full story, other than to say that Paul Quick aided by his crew which included EAA’ own Chalkie Stobbart as co-pilot managed to bring the plane to a full stop only feet away from the end of runway 21L. At the end of runway 21L there is a steep incline from the elevated earthworks that were required to make this runway a practical length. Had the aircraft run off the end of 21L, there is no doubt that loss of life would have been inevitable.
In incident two, in 1998, Paul as Pilot in Command had just departed Maputo in a B-747SP when an engine caught fire. The fire could not be extinguished, so Paul put the plane into a steep dive in an attempt to extinguish the fire. He then completed a sub three minute circuit and put the plane down safely. The fire truck that met the plane did not have water or foam. It is very likely that the wing would have burned through and fallen off if the plane had been airborne for more than five or so more minutes. Again space does not permit me to give readers the full incredible story.
All in all, we privileged few who listened to these two modest men experienced an amazing evening. As I said before and I meant it. “You miss it – You miss out.” How very true. Cometh the hour – Cometh the MEN.
