The flying boys of the National Airline of Paradise are wild about events taking place as to who will replace whom at the cockpits. If one can remember past events when the earlier batch of 17 were taken and the exam held, eight were selected while nine others were disqualified.
In a surprise move, the Minister concerned got the eight who passed stopped from going into service. A court case was filed and eventually the court decided that the eight who passed continue to go into service while the remaining do flight test. If they passed the second time they were to be taken onto the airline.
The flight test was conducted by the Civil Aviation Department with two examiners from the Civil Aviation Department of Britain. The test was held at Ratmalana with a plane hired from Skycab. In the second flight test, only two passed and they are now undergoing advanced training. Meanwhile, of the six who failed, one of them, purported to be the son of an earlier bodyguard of a VIP, had managed to get the other six to be put into service at AirLanka. One of them, a girl, was however not included. It is reported that the one who pulled the strings, did not fare well at his flight tests.
However they will all now go through advanced training and will leave this month for similar training in Doha. They will then do one more line training with an instructor. This will qualify them to be second officers.
Many experienced pilots and those that got into the airline going through the mill and with hardship are disappointed at what has occurred. The results of the second flight test conducted by the Civil Aviation Dept. have not been released yet. When angry pilots asked for an explanation, they have said that the directive came from the top.
The national carriers safety must surely be our first concern, or Prabhakaran will have the last laugh.
Still with the National Airline, it seems that the taste of Paradise is more sweet on certain routes than in others. On return flights from Dubai some Middle East returnees of the fairer sex have more in their minds than returning to see their loved ones.
One who flies frequently, recently told us that once the lights are dimmed for the passengers to get some sleep, the real fun begins. He said that what goes on between the flight seats not to mention the flight sheets is enough to put Vihara Mahadevi Park, Galle Face Green and Independence Square to shame altogether. The toilets seem to be the most popular place on the flight judging by how long the "occupied" signs are on. Many of the male passengers certainly get off with a smile of satisfaction on their faces. It seems that to them the flight had truly turned out to be a sweet "taste of Paradise.".
Death threats to media people were the hallmark of a previous regime, or so we thought. But the ghosts of the past refuse to be laid and re-appear in current guise.
Shortly after the publication of an anti-package statement by a high cleric, a media person found a strident voice, purportedly calling from a very important place, who told him to lay off anti-package statements, or else... The media person was told to expect a follow up call the next week-end to check on whether he had behaved himself in the interim.
The media person made inquiries from people who know of such things, as to whether he should make a complaint to telecom, but was advised cryptically, "Don't waste your time." The good old days are here again.
When the foreign scribes hosted the big green elephant at the Hotel with a Gallilean Face, popular Entrepreneur and Hotelier Cyril (smoke at your peril), had a Scandinavian Ambassador somewhat bemused. He introduced himself as "I am only the butler here." However he revealed his true identity later to a relieved Ambassador, over a learned discussion on the nutritional value of papaw seed.
This week C-in-C CBK accused the UNP leader of plotting with newspapers to kick some dust on the Puttalam cement deal. The young leader was heard to say, "she recently made me the Chairman of the Australian Cricket Board. Now she's appointed me the Editor-in-Chief of several newspapers."
Well, printer's ink does flow in his veins - just like the C-in-C who was herself an Editor.
Did the actor on a recent visit to London run into the former broadcaster who couldn't change his stripes? Let's hope he did not seek advice on how best to sell the package.
So Madam B will turn 80 this year and it appears that her siblings are keen to turn it into a big show - and why not.
But the competition between the two is what is bugging family circles. When one sister decided to have a documentary on momma for TV, it was decided to have a documentary for the big screen, we are told.
Then it was decided to have the House by the Diyawanna clean the record on the stripping of her civic rights. And why not. But one sibling said of the other, "Ah, we are about to see a golden handshake for poor momma."