A Day in Africa - Jim Le Huray Bush Pilot - Stars in his 2nd Film

There is nothing, absolutly nothing quite like the whine of a PT-6 turbine coming to life, propellor spooling up half a step behind the rising crescendo, a whiff of fuel & exhaust carried through the vents, a couple of Ugandan Cranes pause their courtship as the howl distracts them but for a moment. Jim's eyes are fixed on engine instruments, poised to disable the start-up if all is not well but alls well, tthe £250,000 'lump of engine' declares to all and sundry that it is living, the 'bird' is alive, transforming a huge aluminium can into a remarkable life saving tool, ready to 'Fly for Life.' Jim seems content with the array of equipment before us, his well practiced hands run through the checks confirming for him at least that all is at 'peace' with the world.

I am indeed fortunate to be able to join Jim again as he heads up to NE Uganda to Karamoja , East Africa. Golly those hills are amazing, we show 9,500ft on our altimeter yet the rocks are just outside the windows! As we glide past to the waiting airstrip.

Jim has been flying in Uganda and working alongside the MAF Congo programe as well as flying into South Sudan since he arrived last year in 2011. 'Most of the pilots, engineers and programme managers seem to be married!' I remarked, Jim  laughed, throwing is head back as he did so, 'I guess I don't keep my feet long enough on the ground to get caught!'  Jim is one of MAF's newest pilots and from the Island of Guernsey (land of the Guernsey Cow and the book Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Society). 

He is a very popular pilot not least because of his delightful grin  and relaxed manner but Dave our Operations Manager (who is from MAF US) reckons it could be something to do with his lightweight,as he remarks 'there is room for another 80kg on any flight that Jim skippers!' 

He has a particular heart working with young people, always ready to tell them of the exciting challenge of being a Jesus follower, perhaps also because he is altitudinaly challenged himself! 

He was very eager to do a bit of filming with me, the results of which you can see below or on bigglesgsy. Jim's first film was 4m so this one is twice as long and sorry if you recognise a couple of clips! Once again the similarity in our voices is surprising.

I think you will enjoy this 'Day in Africa.'  ... do contact me on bryan.pill@maf-uk.org if you would like to know more.

Recently I met Jim Le Huray MAF's newest Bush Pilot

Just before Christmas last year I was excited to meet our latest new MAF pilot fresh out from our training course in Nampa Idaho. He is working with MAF in Uganda, at Kajjansi our airstrip there, his name was Jim Le Huray and he has recently come out from Guernsey (land of the Guernsey Cow and the book Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Society) . He is a very popular pilot both with Local and International staff in Uganda and the Congo but he is a particular favourite  with our passengers, it was found by our Operations Manager Dave (who is from MAF US) that when Jim was operating single crew (as most of our aircraft are) due to his unusually light body weight we could load an extra 80kg of passengers and/or freight on to every flight which he flew. 

He was quite a character and on a number of occasions when he tangled with the military his sense of humour soon solved a tricky situation. 

He had a particular heart to work with very young people, perhaps because he is altitudinaly challenged himself. Also he was eager to do a bit of filming with me the results of which we made into a short film which was shown on a couple occasion earlier in the year and the results were well received and Jim felt we could perhaps make a couple of films that might appeal to younger folk. When we did some editing together we found quite amazingly that on film our voices sound remarkably similar. 

Well my son Jonathan offered to be the main editor of the first of two versions of the first film of The Adventures of Jim Le Huray and it is called Jim Le Huray Bush Pilot. Which we find attached below. There is also an 8 minute version which is very different. Enjoy ... do contact me on bryan.pill@maf-europe.org