Guest Columnist

The Lord Glenarthur

Reflections on a Life in the Rotary World: The second part of The Lord Glenarthur's ruminations on his long and successful career in both civil and military aviation.

I supplied a pair of pliers, the pilot removed some locking wire, started the helicopter and when at ground idle, climbed up on to the engine decks, shorted out two terminals with locking wire, screwed the connector back into place. All well, the starter reverted to being a generator and he flew off down to Aden. If the helicopter had been left overnight I suspect that it would not have been in one piece in the morning.

There were other occasions too. In particular I recall travelling with the High Commissioner, for whom I was an ADC for a period, when we visited a high, very small platform in the Radfan known as Arnold's Spur. I think the pilot had a short interview about having agreed to take me in the first place but I felt it important to support my High Commissioner! Take off was unusual - slide to the end of a several thousand feet drop and push the stick forward and gain translational lift. Interesting!

There were others living in the officers' mess encouraging me to take up flying, who even lent me the relevant Air Publications on the theory of flight etc. At the same time, the...