Life before Audio ...

People often ask me what I did before audio so I put this little vignette together. Interest in audio began in high school when I took courses in acoustics and sound reproduction. By the time classical studies at St. John's College rolled around I was already smitten. This can be seen by a drawing done in math tutorial at seventeen years of age where I was probably better off paying attention to the demonstrations of the assigned Euclidian propositions... That little system was an AR turntable, an Advent receiver, and a pair of ESS/Heil AMT 1A.  I was seventeen then.

A shared ride in a small airplane as a cheap and interesting way to travel during college opened a new perception. The rest of my adult life was spent either with music, literature or in the sky. 

I transferred from St John's College to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - from Liberal Arts and classical literature to Aeronautical Science.

Posing for a photo on the Riddle ramp Prescott Arizona. 1984

Corporate Lear 31 Dallas Love Field

After instructing in airplanes and helicopters I was invited to fly corporate as well as my first overseas contract with GTZ in Somalia flying geo-biologic survey.

GTZ us the international aid agency of Germany. Since 2011 it has been known as GIZ.

In north Somalia I first witnessed mass grave sites which collided with the news at the time as Siad Barre, supported by the US government, tried to exterminate the Somaliland population in several genocidal campaigns such as the Isaaq genocide.

 

Mogadishu beach, 1988

Rolph and Frederich my boys, where have you gotten to?

This, combined with the fermentations of classical literature, began to separate me from the collective perceptions of the west. In Sudan a video of 8,000 freshly killed SPLA, including women and children, were documented in a 360° pan with a newspaper to date them, received zero attention from any news agency despite the footage being in their possession. Why would massacres of the present day not get air time?  I stopped then observing the news or listening to anyone who talked about it. As they spoke I saw them only as marionettes. The question was: "who was pulling their strings to make them dance?"

As an alternative to the nonsense I hung out at Peter Beard's Hog Ranch, played guitar and let Peter persuade me that the whole thing was a corrupted mess - which it certainly appeared to be. The Easter Island narrative repeating itself endlessly - Francis Bacon was not wrong.

Back in Somalia 1991 providing support for refugees, NGOs and Rimfire - de-mining operation. I also supported the SPLA flying ICRC (Red Cross) and Catholic Missionaries in relief to the SPLA, Dinka and other tribes, who were being systematically wiped out by the government there as well. Since they were then "rebels" this support was illegal and flight plans were filed only as far as Lokichogio Kenya. After that we were on our own. North Sudanese Mig 21 Fishbed pilots spoke Farsi. Iran, as well as other middle east governments, were staying close to the oil grab. I could tell when they spotted me by the excitement on their radio coms. They could not slow down so I would get low on or between tree tops, pop flaps, and get real slow. They'd fly by before they could descend, loose visual contact and "Bobs your Uncle", their air to air radar was useless. The first time I operated on this intelligence was a bit concerning though…

 South Sudan is recognised today as a sovereign state while the atrocities of the north were never recognised by the west. Somaliland (North Somalia) has still not achieved sovereign recognition thar and of course the genocides have been ignored. Perhaps because the USA supported the genocide in the attempt to obtain a naval port on the horn overseeing the Suez canal shipping lane. Since Said Barre's regime failed it never happened. Somaliland piracy on the same shipping lane is a finger to the USA who supported the genocides and continues to obstruct their recognition. In South Sudan Iran and other Muslim states did not have the international clout to obstruct recognition.. World events vary from reality to the screen's shadows. Just like Plato's allegory of the cave... grow a pair or stay in the dark.

The inevitable expressions of aviation exuberance.

Working for Dornier in Kaduna Nigeria an agricultural endorsement was obtained where my instructor also taught me to water ski the canals... just for fun... and it was.

Qualification day...

After this indoctrination - airline bus driving was not going to be for me.

I flew many types of aircraft from the beginning of my career. Here in Kaduna Nigeria working for Dornier I flew the Super AG Cat, Dornier 228 and Hughes 300C helicopter.

Moi escarpment Kenya.

Bosaso Somalia

Grumetti River Camp Serengetti plain

Fuel stop Tabora Tanzania, only fuel available in the vast expanse of southwest Tanzania at the time.

Kagera, very northwest corner of Tanzania. They are hurrying because they had been told that once the sun comes up and warms the air there won't be the performance required to get off the short strip and either we stayed another day or someone was staying behind. That got them moving.

Break time, Ngorogoro crater, Tanzania and yes, I often flew in shorts (and sometimes flip flops...)

Flying over the shira or the saddle between the peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro with my buddy from the Belgian Congo enroute Nairobi - Zanzibar. Oxygen masks were removed for the photo op, the Shira is over 14,000ft so we must have been 16,000 to 18,000ft on this one - unpressurised.

Cooling off after a hard day above the Sudan drinking Bols with the boys... 

Based in Zanzibar for a while, here heading out to Bawe island for a break.

A little downtime, Kichwa Tembo Camp - Masai Mara Kenya...

Somehow, after five years in Africa, Bell Helicopter scouted me into their instructor program.

After a few thousand full touchdown autorotations under the tutelage of the these experts I got pretty good at them... and at teaching from the most concentrated pool of aviation knowledge and experience I ever encountered. An autorotation is landing without engine power.

The mission called however and I moved on: Fire Fighting, EMS, VIP, Law enforcement and Search and Rescue operations. 

North California fires.

with "the beast" - civil version of the CH-47 Chinook - Boeing 234. This had a 250ft longline swinging 3,000 gallons  (25,000lbs) of water with 10,000 HP on tap to move it around. Notice our little white helmets inside the bubbles as DVOC is employed. (Direct Visual Operating Contact)

Posing yet again - landing site in the burn zone.

Some views from the office... dipping and deploying behind a Skycrane.

BV-107

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Civil Defense, pose. 50°C with no aircon... KV-107

Perennial work bench...

here a Naim CDS being raped, pillaged and grossly improved. 1995

CH-46 civil variant BV-107 a solid workhorse after the CH-47/234 which broke big all the time. Here in the centre of the South Saudi Desert

Kuwait Emir Dewan

Flying solar panels for the radio shack in the mountains South Oman coast.

UAE: SOC, Police and Civil Defence.

HEMS, Law enforcement, VIP and Sea SAR with NVG and full SEASAR automation.

NVG briefing before goggle up.

HEMS scene response Doha between maritime patrols.

Qatar Airforce

HEMS patient off loading Doha Hospital

Offshore Black Sea, Constanta Romania

Known icing conditions and rubber suits...

Over 10,000 hours and 50 aircraft types logged...

... rescue missions were always the drug of choice.

A little context...

 I often get asked why we moved our little operation to Portugal.

France had been far better than Italy's feudal administration however the regulatory environment was still cumbersome and outsourcing work difficult. When we arrived in our little town in was completely rural but by the time we left SUV's and BMWs over ran the roads. It had become more common to hear english and dutch in the summer market than French and so we had to put the adios to it.

 Over two months and 10,000km were spent in exploration searching for a combination of practicality, lifestyle and the ability to get work done - an elusive target.

Tamega River

We began along the German border at the heart of the EU - Strasburg - and went south. 

Strasbourg

We explored many locations and cities including Dijon, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Grenoble and Valence. We also looked at Switzerland and Germany - Offenburg, and Freiburg. 

Mulhouse

Italy and France had been lovely for lifestyle but proved unreasonable for growing a business. Part of the the exploration was to see if being in or right next to Germany could facilitate getting some work done.

Valence

Then we moved inland to see what a small isolated city of Roman origins would offer.

Valence Sunday Market

Valence had the lifestyle. Situated on the cusp of southern France, on a the main Roman north/south passage, rich in history and lifestyle. Despite it being off the beaten track it was still too expensive - surprisingly so. The Sunday market was a celebration of latin lifestyle and community.

Having exhausted our proposed explorations without positive result we opened the reserve kit and headed to Portugal.

We drove across France and Spain. When we reached Portugal we crossed the bridge of wishes. (Each ribbon is someone's wish). 

Like going back in time, people here were more authentic, kinder and had more time and patience. Experiencing the difference contrasted the agenda much of the modern world insists upon. Like in DH Lawrence's Rocking Horse Winner, everyone has money, or rather the perceived lack of it, on their minds. The scheme for getting it, keeping, being recognised for it, distracting people from the appreciation of their lives - winding up with sand in their hands at the end when it is too late - "...now and at the hour of our death". Amen

We started in the North of Portugal with the intention of working our way no more than half way down. The southern part having been infiltrated by the above. The far north was too sparse for work so on to Porto.

Porto

As lovely as it is, Porto is still a big city. Nice to visit - wouldn't want to live there, however living near there is another thing. ;)

Lamego. Having been around since 1143, where the first King of Portugal was coronated as well as near the Douro Valley where the grapes for Port wine are grown - we went to see it.

Lamego

By this time we were liking Portugal considerably better then anything we had seen before. It came as no surprise that the largest demographic group of immigrants are currently the French.

Lamego

Nearby was Regua, a small city where Port wine is consolidated from the hills, stored and shipped down river to Porto. Here we found the first property we could afford and which could serve the manufacture, living and business requirements.

For Sale

View from proposed property in Regua

We became a bit excited with this large wine storage building which had been converted into an over sized bodega. We began the acquisition engagement process and in the mean time continued to explore. Guimarães, further north, was on the exploration agenda - we wanted to be diligent.

Douro Valley

We took the small roads in the hope of discovery and were not disappointed. The river valley, small towns, and small mountains under and open sky all spoke of promise.

We booked a room for the night halfway to our destination in a small city called Amarante which has origins in the state age and so is one of the most ancient settlements in northern Portugal. It was officially founded in history books in 360 BC by a Roman Centurian. It sits on the banks of the Tamega river.

The view from the little B&B "stopover" on our way to Guimarães. We wound up staying a week.

Amarante Bridge

It was charming and with a twist - there was a long history of wood production - plywoods and other processed wood boards and was originally the main provider of these materials to Ikea as it grew to become the world's largest furniture manufacturer. It just so happens that our main products are made of plywood. 🤔

Amarante Main Street

Amarante also has a proactive business development program which was instrumental to our decision.

Views of the Corpus Christi celebration.

Our favourite restaurant which serves the proceeds of their own farm. 

Work hard and play hard in a beautiful, rustic environment. We found the resonance we were looking for.

We applied for and were accepted to the business incubation project - IET for workspace, developmental assistance and business networking.

Work assistant and inspector.

The moon on an evening stroll.

Ponte de São Gonçalo where the French invaders were repelled in 1809.

Long story short we found a lovely house which had the work and living space we were looking for. (perhaps another post on this later...) All the pieces fit into place and we felt lucky to find such a place - after two months and 10,000km... ;)

("When I work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, I tend to get lucky." - Armand Hammer)

Amarante has been UNESCO's City of Music since 2017.

Music is what we do...

Until next time....