My Bicester Gliding: On Friday 11th of May 2012

I am publishing this article of Paavo Galkin because he was a fellow Finn. At Bicester I met Norman W. Smith who has flown with him in Sudan -73/74. Norman wrote the following piece as well as the AG-pilot's Lament which is published earlier. Norman has taken all the photos.

Paavo holding one end of Kamal's turban in New Halfa in Sudan.

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Written by Norman W. Smith

Paavo Galkin, the Finnish pilot

A.D.S (Aerial) Lts, Southen-on-Sea, Essex, UK was awarded the 1973/4 contract to spray cotton and wheat crops in the new Halfa irrigation scheme on the Atbara river, east of Khartoum near Kassala, Sudan. The spraying aircraft were Piper PA25 Pawnees: G-SOV, G-ASVP, G-ASUX, G-ASIY, G-ATTZ, G-ATUA AND G-ASTK.

Paavo Galkin was one of the employed pilots who flew, as his aeroplane G-ASIY.

On 30.12.1973 Paavo in G-ATUA and Norman Smith in G-ATTZ flew at dawn from New Halfa to Tokar, south of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, taking 4hrs 15min flight time, with a stop to refuel west of the Red Sea mountains. 4 Jerry cans of fuel were carried in the hopper of each Pawnee. We just landed somewhere in the desert to refuel and oil check.

In the Tokar river Delta was some 20 000 feddans of rain red cotton to be sprayed with insecticide at the rate of one litre per feddan (feddan is close to a half hectar). After our early morning ferry flight we took a very quick lunch at the Tokar town rest house prior to flying 4hrs 45min of spraying in the afternoon. 31st of December 9hrs 30min. 1st of January 9hrs 30min. 2nd of January 6hrs. 2nd of January 2hrs 40min ferry flight time back to New Halfa. Total of 36hrs 40min in 4 days. Quite shattering work for two pilots, ground support team in 40C high humidity, minimal food intake and very low flying at a maximum of 6 feet above the crop.

On 31st of December Paavo managed to tun out of fuel when spraying. From the height of only 6 feet he had no option but to land ahead. I flew out to Paavo with two Jerry cans of fuel, found a place to land, handed Paavo his fuel and wished him well, and with a friendly wave took off. A picture of Paavo in the cotton field is enclosed.

Paavo refuelling in the cotton field in Tokar.

All AG-pilots have run out of fuel at some time. When they do, then they buy the beer supply for the remainder of the month. Paavo was clever though! He run out of fuel on the last day of the month and also the year too! Neither of us had much appetite for beer that night, after a full days spray flying and with two more days of hard flying ahead.

At our base in New Halfa we lived in a rented house where up to 6 pilots and 2 engineers fed, slept and socialised almost in each others pockets, so to speak. Food was prepared and served by our cook Abdul and his one assistant on a 24/7/6 months basis. Abdul had been a ships cook, therefore had seen the World from the oceans and the sea ports. Abdul was well educated in the university of life! The grandest chap he was too, with few words in so very many languages, mostly the bad words. Bless Abdul's soul, for the will be long deceased by this time of 38 years on.

Paavo's English was very limited until he was taught the "eff" word, after which he then spoke comprehensive English; I.E. if his Pawnee become u/s he could point to the problem and quote the ultimate English sentence of; the effing, effers effing effed!

At the end of contract in early March /74 we were short of one pilot to ferry the Pawnees to Khartoum. This problem was solved by myself and Paavo flying in one Pawnee from Khartoum to New Halfa in 2hrs 20min. Now 2 in a Pawnee whilst wearing crash helmets in very cozy indeed and does not allow either to get cramp in the legs! The flying pilot sits front left of the seat with his right leg in front of the stick and foot to the right rudder. Passenger has his left arm around the pilots shoulders. I took off solo from Khartoum airport and collected Paavo near the hospital, a couple of miles out on the Wad Madani road. All flying was made non radio of course.

Attached is quite a good and true picture of Paavo in our New Halfa rest house, whilst holding on end of Mama's turban. Kamal was our co-ordinator with the New Halfa Irrigation Agricultural company.

Paavo was the very grandest friendly and sociable person who never become angry under stress or hardship and who always had a happy smile and time available for everyone he met, without exception.

Paavo simply loved life and flying, agricultural flying provided ample opportunity for Paavo to do just that.

In about 1990, I was to learn of Paavo's demise at Helsinki, when I met Finish pilot Kari Hittia in Libya. My reaction was to ask how could so delightful a family man and good friend to all who Paavo met, be taken so early?

Norman W. Smith
Bicester
UK
08.05.2012

PS.

What do Finns do? Paavo said; we eat, drink, party, make with our girls in mexed sauna and fish, in winter there's not much fishing done!

When we lived in Chinnor, Oxon, Paavo arrived one afternoon in a large Mercedes Menz car. In the evening we dined Paavo at the "Red Lion" Bledlow, before sending him on his way the following morning.

When leading a pair of Cessna Agwagons from Cairo to Khartoum at night in a sky full of dust haze and without any moon, the second pilot lost orientation in flight and was killed when he crashed into the desert. Paavo landed in Khartoum safely.

Page at Norman's logbook, Jerry cans to Paavo!

Photo taken from the Pawnee. The house and a garden in the middle of the photo is the one which Paavo, Norman and others rented for their stay mentioned in the story.