Chapter 2

Sunday 8th April 2012 a memorable day in prospect. Noel picks me up early, we have the good fortune that the Abbott of Ban Kut Hae has decided to join the 'Saibart'. The morning procession when the monks collect their alms. We are invited to participate. We stand opposite the family home as the Abbott's Papal style transport moves towards us. The Abbott is ancient, infirm and much venerated. We were on our knees when his driver pulled alongside us so we could offer alms.

We couldn't look up at him, only allowed to stand when we placed the offerings in his vehicle. Noel was first to give his alms then the Abbotts cart inched forward to me. I was kneeling, hands clasped as in prayer, head down advised not to make eye contact. After some talking amongst the Thai's present, Somrak told me to stand and offer my gift. As I leaned into the cart to place the alms into the container, I looked into the eyes of the Abbott. I saw the kindly wise old face smiling at me. I quickly dropped my eyes and knelt back down on the raffia mat, the Abbott spoke to the Thai's in our vicinty. He'd obviously got the measure of me, for whatever he said, raised a belly laugh from my Thai friends.

Noel and I travelled down to the Airfield, it was around 09.15 and we could see Dr Chern already had his plane out of the hangar and was doing his checks. We parked and joined the Doctor meeting him for the first time. Chern asked who wanted to go first, it was a case of age before beauty, so I strapped myself into the P2 seat. We taxied onto the runway passing a paddi tractor and trailer exiting it, surreal or what? Chern went through his pre take-off checks and asked Sgt Presha (acting ATC) for permission to take-off.

Chern opened the throttle and we rolled down the runway. The Jabiru is not STOL so it was eating into the yards, I noticed movement ahead. Vehicles, motorbikes and pedestrians were crossing the runway in front of us. I was urging the plane off the concrete. Chern was unconcerned, as we drew alongside the northern taxiway, the plane rotated and the wheels left the ground. Chern flew north and then west, as he did so my mind drifted back to the first time I'd flown from Crown.

May 1967 saw 34 Fd Sqn leave Crown Airfield in a fleet of Blackburn Beverley's. They had completed their section of the Post Crown road and were departing for Singapore and then onto the UK. I was on board one of them seated in the tail boom. The flight to Singapore was long and uncomfortable as the tail vibrated and shook alarmingly. The Beverley was slow, it's maximum speed was 238 mph, it's cruising speed would have been much slower. Then I was back to reality over Leong Nok Tha.

Dr Chern flew me around the area for at least half an hour. We passed over Loeng Nok Tha (pictured right) and circumvented the airfield a number of times. Chern was on the radio to the ATC asking for permission to land on runway 03. Permission was granted with the proviso to "Look out for buffalo crossing the runway". Chern was flying south from Loeng Nok Tha with Khok Samran on his port wing. He turned east on base leg and finally north to line up on the runway.

We landed without incident and taxied back to the hangars where Noel was waiting. Now it was his turn to make what proved to be an extraordinary flight. For him to be taking off from the airfield his father helped to build, was something he hadn't dreamed off. Indeed this moment had come out of the blue and he could scarcely believe it. I took over from Sgt Presha as ATC for this flight. I think Chern wanted to practise his RT with an English speaker.

I videod Chern and Noels take-off and landing in between comm's with Chern. Noel videod the flight from the cockpit. From my observations Chern flew pretty much the same course as he had with myself. After about half an hour the hand held radio burst into life, Chern was requesting permission to land. As acting ATC I cleared them to land on 03 adding the need to be aware of a truck half way down, on the eastern side of the runway. Men were working, carrying out repairs of some sort.

Proudly wearing his Operation Crown T shirt, Noel Jackson stands alongside Dr Chern Brahmacupta at the end of their flight. Chern had given Noel and myself an experience we had not expected and would never forget. When Noel exited the plane I greeted him with a handshake and some backslapping combined. We thanked Chern for his generosity with this very special gift. He could tell by the emotion in our speech and faces how much it meant to us.

I must take the opportunity to publicly thank Dr Chern Brahmacupta MD FICS not only for Noel and myself but on behalf of the Operation Crown Association (OCA). Hopefully we can build on the links now established between us. After some forty plus years the airfield has recently opened with local flyers from the SFAT resident and using it. This webpage is titled 'A Circle Squared'. Noel and myself make the claim to be the first people with a direct connection to Operation and Post Crown, to fly from the airfield since the Thai Army left around 1971 and in doing so to square the circle. If anyone can prove otherwise, please do so.