Additional information
by Francis Meyrick (Author)
When you mix one dreamy Irish Helicopter Pilot-Mechanic with a crew of Taiwanese, Chinese, Philippinos and Indonesians, you get everything - from confusion, to fireworks, to hilarity. In these true stories, Francis 'Moggy' Meyrick describes a wide range of personal experiences. Some are hilarious, some are hair-raising. When you go flying in those remote Pacific areas, it is inevitable that you also witness tragedy. In his previous book, Moggy's Tuna Manual, the emphasis was on Safe Operating Procedures. In Blip on the Radar he describes some actual occurrences that could have been fatal. But in his Introduction he also writes, "I count myself a fortunate man indeed to have seen, tasted, and flown the vast Pacific Tuna Fields. Roaming up to 50 miles away from my ship, long since disappeared over the horizon, I so often saw no sign of human existence. No ships, no islands, no people, no manmade structures. Only solitude, endless marching waves, and 'Mother Nature' in all her essence. With my blades slapping time, wind rushing by, and unseen gears steadily meshing. And the Eternal Sky, looking down - kindly, I believe - on a puny, mortal Man. In a sense, it was and is a paradise for any storyteller."
Author Biography
Francis 'Moggy' Meyrick has flown fixed wing and helicopters for well over forty years. Since he went solo in his early twenties he has logged over 12,500 flight hours, including a wide variety of helicopter applications all over the world. He flew aerobatics in his Christen Eagle, was a fixed wing and helo flight instructor, and spent many years flying helicopters off tuna fishing vessels in the Pacific and oil platforms in Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. He says: "I thoroughly enjoy being a chopper jockey. I like to say I'm gonna get me a real job one day. When I grow up. But not just yet, Lord, not just yet!"
