FROM THE WAODANIS To WEAPONS WAR.

What have a missionary with a bucket and a fisherman with a Bonanza, got to do with the future of military drone technology?

- JIM DAVIS

THIS IS A FASCINATING STORY. It started with me spotting the name Ray Hart in my logbook and thinking; ‘this is a feel-good flying story with a strong safety message.’ Then I remembered an almost unbelievable flying exercise that Ray used with his fleet of trawlers.

In fact, it was so incredible that I googled it to see if it was true. It was indeed. It was developed by a missionary who used it in his Piper Cruiser in Ecuador in the 1950s.

And this extraordinary flying exercise has now been copied by military and civil drone manufacturers. I will explain shortly.

So after that rather lengthy intro, here we go.

Ray Hart was one of my most favourite people ever. He was indeed a gentle man – kind, thoughtful, and quietly spoken. He always had a good word for everyone.

He was also incredibly good with his hands – Ray could make anything and fix anything. His flying was smooth and accurate and he always knew what was going on around him. I’d be happy for my family to fly with Ray any day.

We both held the rank of Captain in 109 Commando squadron of the SAAF. I flew with him often in both civie and military capacities. In fact, I had recently done his IF renewal test in his old V-tail Bonanza, so when it was time to do his annual wings test I knew it would be a formality.

I couldn’t have been more wrong – Ray’s flying was terrible. He was like a 100 hour pilot who hasn’t flown for ten years.

It was a beautiful, calm, early morning in George when we walked round the preflight on his Bonnie, ZS-DOB.