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Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:39 pm
by Smeagol
Important things first - I'm here to join like minds (I've been banned from JB on TOP but have no idea why. Also banned from two other forums for asking !).

A brief rundown on who and what I am.

I am an engineer by profession, not aircraft related, 40 odd years in oil and gas. Graduated as a mechanical engineer but rapidly got into project engineering and management rather than discipline engineering. Worked all over the world from South Africa to Norway and Holland to Indonesia with a large chunk of the Middle East at various times. Worked on refinery construction in SA, oilfield facility construction in Indonesia, refinery and offshore projects in ME and offshore gas platform construction and installation in southern North Sea and ME. Spent last 10 years involved with offshore wind farm construction in UK - had some big toys to play with there. Retired from full time work 18 months ago but still do some part time consulting for the company I spent the last 14 years with - but on my terms!
My interest in aviation started as a child and it was my ambition to join the RAF as a pilot. Nearly made it. Got awarded a Special Flying Award at 16 got my PPL at 17 but got rejected on medical grounds when applying for a University Cadetship at 18. They said I had a heart murmur (I have, but they missed it twice and then misdiagnosed it) and rejected me from General Duties but offered me a Cadetship in Engineering. Decided that if I could not fly I did not want to play in their air force. Emigrated to SA after graduating and spent the next 40 years travelling the world at someone else's expense so have no real complaints.

But I still look longingly at fast jets when they fly over................

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:43 pm
by om15
Engineers always welcome, we are outnumbered by the winged master race!
Welcome aboard, have you brought a bottle?

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:45 pm
by Woody
Another Saffer :YMHUG:

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:46 pm
by 4mastacker
Welcome Smeagol. :-h

is there anybody left in TOP?

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:47 pm
by wings folded
Can we not spring a half of Drambuie shandy to welcome him?

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:51 pm
by ian16th
Welcome.

Where are you currently resident?

If you don't want it public, PM me.

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:59 pm
by Smeagol
Thanks for the welcome!

Currently resident in the UK (Norfolk - the eastern edge of the known world) only spent 3years in SA (1975 - 78) but younger son was born there so he, at least, is a 'Saffer'.

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:04 pm
by Fox3WheresMyBanana
Welcome, My Precious!

Personally, I got my engineering degree but failed to qualify professionally as I failed to fail RAF flying training. I know my place when it comes to serious engineering, and have a lot of respect for my betters ;)))

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:18 pm
by Smeagol
Fox3
Not to worry about the professional qualification, took me 18 years after graduation before I became a member of the IMechE and CEng. Was too busy working and earning money! I don't get hung up on the post nominal - it impresses them who want to be impressed. Worked with many engineers who were not professionally 'qualified' but were damned good engineers.

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:42 pm
by CharlieOneSix
Welcome Smeagol - good to see you here! :-bd

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:41 am
by admin
Smeagol, welcome. Meine hostie did 3 years at RAF "College" - No 1 Radio School. Many years later when they pressed the eject button, went on to qualify as a licensed aircraft eng under UK CAA and Australian DCA as avionics and instr eng. Whilst employed in the far reaches of the Empire - PNG, with nowhere to spend my pennies, acquired a PPL and then CPL. Flew casual charters out of Port Moresby, then gravitated to Rand Airport RSA.

Whilst hauling electronics kit up to Beit Bridge - sanctions busting in the early seventies, discovered that Elec Engs got lots more money than PiC's on the bottom rung. So's became a compooter eng. Initially hardware and then software - very early days of compooters. Twenty years later - mid nineties, when personal software company went bust, went back to aeroplane enging to put bread on the table.

Started Ops-Normal three years ago after being banned from TOP. Initially known as ppruned.org as a home for those who had been pruned from pprune.

I put up with lots, treating members as adults. Had a bit of drama early in the piece with a number of right wing extremists, most of whom seemed to consider it quite normal to jump out of serviceable aircraft at altitude. Scary people. But now I do believe we is a happy bunch. So do enjoy our place.

Alison
PS. I post as Alisoncc and as Admin. Admin when I'm adminning, me when participating in the hurly burly. :D

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:18 am
by boing
Well, if you have " 40 odd years in "oil" and "gas"", extra quotes mine, you will be a natural here, "oil" and "gas" are the greatest products. :YMPARTY: .

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:22 am
by Ex-Ascot
Welcome from Botswana Smeagol

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:29 am
by Sisemen
Ooo - aren’t we growing :ymdevil: TOP’s loss = our gain :-bd

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:39 am
by Tsetse Fly
1975-1978, those would be the glory days of Avex at FAGM when the little bastardos were spraying the likes of me up along the cattle fence. They had some Brit pilots out there too, instructing and line surveying, disastrously so for some. Life was really rather fun in the days before apartheid MK11. There were mens' bars, where women were not allowed, places for serious quaffing with snacks provided at intervals to allow mopping up operations to continue.
Norfolk isn't like that at all of course, a flat little place inhabited, in the main, by people with webbed feet and a myopic point of view often expressed by the pride in which they tell you they've never been abroad.

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:32 pm
by Karearea
40 odd years in oil


- Ah! A Human Sardine, as P. G. Wodehouse put it ;)))

Welcome, Smeagol :)

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 10:51 am
by FD2
Hi Smeagol - glad you've left those pesky hobbitses behind in Middle Earth! :ymdevil:

Re: Smeagol logging in

Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 11:05 pm
by flynverted
Smeagol wrote:
Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:39 pm
(I've been banned from JB on TOP)
Me too!!