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Peter Hamilton’s frustration at Cairo.

1976. A cropduster had an engine failure near Cairo, enroute England to Sudan.
A new (overhauled) engine was airfreighted to Cairo and an engineer by the name of Peter Hamilton was sent to install it. Middle East bureaucracy stifled every attempt to retrieve the engine from storage at the airport. Also to travel to the aeroplane because it involved travel through a military zone. Peter sort their equivalent of the minister of defence to do both but that didn’t seem to carry any authority. Peter seemed to be stymied.

We all have moments of brilliance, some call it a light bulb moment. Well Peter had one. He took a small white cardboard business card with a cropduster aeroplane and his name printed on it. Took a cork stopper from a bottle of cognac, inked it, stamped this card with it and then signed over top. This plus the letter of permission gave him unobstructive access to both engine and through the military zone to the downed aeroplane. He did run into difficulties after the fitting of this engine. The ministers document did not say he could return. I do not recall how he overcame this; some 43 years have elapsed since Peter told me of this difficulty.

The aeroplane was subsequently flown to Sudan and I happened to fly it their next cotton season.
Flying in Sudan, one requires tolerance and patience. There was no point in becoming frustrated or disheartened but simply accept the conditions under which they work administrate. Next story I’ll tell you a few things about my work and experience there.