Aviator visits a mate’s grave

AVIATION

By PAUL MINGA
SCHOOL mate bonds are as strong as ever, even after many years despite unfortunate situations or being separated or away from one another.
This was evident from a recent visit by a man to a mate’s graveyard. Captain Paul Boga who is currently a chopper pilot, was one of PNGDF trainee pilots graduating among six others including the late Peter Ansphill whose grave Paul recently paid a visit to in showing brotherly love for a good friend.
Capt Boga and his mates including Peter graduated as trainee pilots in Australia’s Point Cook Flight School decades back in 1988. Capt Boga currently is a chopper pilot for an aviation company after he worked with several airlines including Air Niugini and the PNGDF. Peter’s death has separated them and ended the usual comradeship as aviators. But though death has separated them Paul still holds dear to his heart his late brother because of the strong bond from a school friendship. Capt  Boga recently visited his dear brother and comrade’s grave after more than nine years.
Paul, originally from Central’s Barakau village paid a courtesy visit to his late comrade’s graveyard in the evergreen Waghi Valley in early March.
During those golden student days as cadet pilot trainees.  Peter and Paul were amongst  six PNGDF pilot trainees graduating in 1988 with flying colours from Point Cook flight training academy in Melbourne. They returned to serve the PNGDF in PNG. But over time some left PNGDF to work for commercial airlines both abroad and within PNG.
Out of the six from the Point Cook class of 88’. Peter Ansphill and Albert Tagua sadly passed on while their four other fellow flight school mates and colleagues in Chester Berobero, Eric Aliawi, Terry Togumagoma and Paul Boga are still continuing their aviation careers as pilots, working for different airlines within PNG and abroad. Capt Boga who recently paid a courtesy visit to his school mate and comrade’s (Peter) graveyard as a sign of deep bonds and respect one has for his fellow classmates.
Capt Boga who is currently doing chopper charter runs is another most experienced national pilot who has switched to helicopter piloting after flying different planes for more than 30 years. He gave an account of those exciting good old days he and his mates enjoyed in Point Cook during their studies and training there as PNGDF trainee pilots. Captain Boga highlighted that this year marked the 35th anniversary of his group’s services to aviation after graudating in 1987 as the 12th batch of PNGDF pilot graduates.
Capt Boga reflected those days gone by that the late Peter Anshpill who later was affectionately known as Sheriff, was somebody most senior in the class as he was already a communication engineer. The other two were final mechanical engineering students and one was a chemistry tutor at UPNG. They were drafted along with him for  pilot training in Point Cook. Capt Boga further recalled that most students including himself were just juniors while  another late comrade Albert Tagua was as the most junior student in their class.
“We could have been terminated from studies as a result of our mischievous behaviour at social gatherings but were fortunate to have a senior student in Sheriff who always came to our aid whenever we got into trouble or encounter tough and difficult situations. Sheriff was as a big brother figure to me when we graduated as pilots in 1988. He became a part of my family.” Capt Boga said of his mate after visiting Sheriff’s home and grave in Jiwaka.
Sheriff’s mate recalled those memorable times he and his mates enjoyed weekend outings in Point Cook. Paul said he respected his mate (Sheriff) because of his maturity. He said his mate would lead them to explore and sight-see Melbourne during weekend outings.
When Boga got involved in a near-fights at night clubs he would be dragged out by his mate to avoid being beaten up by bouncers. In his further account of their student days, Capt Boga said Sheriff had no enemy wherever he went. He was a most loveable bloke.
At one time after 40 years in Melbourne on hot day, Sheriff took them to St Kilda beach and told his mate and others to take off their shirts and walk around bare chested which his mates said they feared doing. When they returned to PNG he (Sheriff) remained a big brother to them.
Sheriff’s mate and best friend Paul recalled another moment when Sheriff had another close friend he held close. He was a former workmate namely Henry from New lreland who used to be an instructor at the civil aviation college.
Since Henry was another friend of Sheriff, Boga and Sheriff would be frequent visitors to Henry’s workshop at 7-Mile.
Unfortunately, Henry passed away recently. When Sheriff passed away in 2013, his mate hosted a haus krai at Korobosea Air Niugini compound where he resides among other Air Niugini pilots.
During the haus karai Boga organised funeral expenses in gathering all the pilots to contribute for the repatriation of his mate’sbody from Lae to Port Moresby and on to Mt Hagen.
The most senior chopper and fixedwing pilot said he personally escorted his comrade’s casket home with other pilots.
He said his brothers at Heli Solutions flew Sheriff’s casket from Mt Hagen to Banz. The Barakau native said Peter was one of the finest pilots who quickly got his command on F28 jet to Boeing 767 aircraft and went abroad to Asia where he flew for few years and returned to Air Niugini before his passing.

• Paul Minga is a freelance writer.