Search results matching tags 'Around the World Solo Flight' and 'Kirstie on Kirk'

30lb Lighter

Kirstie — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:27:00 GMT

Hello

I was correct. M did stop eating while at the Houston Deportation Centre and has returned some 30lb lighter than he set off. He always loses weight when he does an appreciable amount of flying (so much flying to do, so little time to eat...) but 30lb in a short time is rather excessive and he looks positively scrawny. Last Saturday found us in casualty as he was so unwell. He was discharged to rest, drink lots of water and eat small light meals - he has done none of these and is now having difficulty in eating at all. However, little changes and pale, wan and thin as he is he has started to tackle the CAA in an effort to have his licences restored.

I gather from the FCO that Houston Deportation Centre described M as being difficult to deal with ....(not so easy to live with sometimes).

KK (M's wife)

Heading Home to the UK

Kirstie — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:34:00 GMT

Hello

Have received some encouraging news from FCO this afternoon (Thurs.). M is expected to be home soon.

I have had no opportunity to speak to him but I gather that he has telephoned friends in Texas. I am told that he does not sound too well. I was probably correct in my assumption that he would stop eating in a protest re his predicament.

Let's see what tomorrow brings. The next post may be by M.

KK (M's wife)

Nil Information

Kirstie — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:26:00 GMT

Hello (Monday pm)

M's friend travelled to Austin deportation centre to visit m today - M is allowed one person to visit for one hour once a week - Monday between 9am and 1pm.

He was not allowed access to M as M is in "segregation"? Our equivalent of solitary confinement, I suppose.

On receiving this information I telephoned the consular office in Houston. Perhaps more information can be discovered tomorrow.

It may be that he prefers his own company at the moment.

I hope that he is not refusing food - he alluded to this when being held at Austin State Hospital and I'm afraid that the conditions that were frustrating him then are now magnified.

It would be good to know when he is likely to be back here in GB. I certainly find this somewhat protracted "nil information" time rather difficult, not least because one can only speculate on the true situation.

KK (M's wife)

Only One Step Up From Jail

Kirstie — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:08:00 GMT

Good evening (Sunday pm)

Still no positive news. I understand that M will be deported, probably within 10 working days if all is straightforward (can any of this be straightforward - none has been so far).

I haven't spoken to M for 10 days and hope that he is OK. I suspect that that he's bearing up. I was told that a deportation centre is "one step up from jail". Perhaps he's more comfortable than here at home.

His friends haven't managed to track all his belongings - some appear to be missing including his video records of this trip and his GPS.

Hope very much to hear more soon.

KK (M's wife)

Out of the Frying Pan into a Sink

Kirstie — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:42:00 GMT

Hello

(Wednesday am in GB)

M is still being held at a deportation centre at Houston. This is confirmed by consular staff. There is no indication yet of when he will travel to GB, but I hope to hear soon (there is still washing up waiting).

I have been told a variety of stories regarding this second detention though a clear common theme is that he was offered the opportunity of release on the condition that he signed papers accepting that he was intoxicated. He maintained that he was not and so would not sign. At this juncture the immigration/deportation system came into play.

I have not spoken to M since Thursday and I don't think that consular staff have spoken to him yet. M's friends have been unable to speak to him by telephone as he has no money to buy a ‘phone card - and couldn't be sent any until we could quote his "alien number". This number was given to me yesterday afternoon.

Hopefully, he will be able to make contact soon. He will be pleased to hear that his little aircraft is safe. We are trying to track his belongings, but this is not easy without direct communication.

I expect that he is fine.

KK (M's wife)

Reunited With His Little Aircraft

Kirstie — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:56:00 GMT

Good morning.

I spoke to M yesterday who confirmed that he had been released. He was planning to fly his little aircraft to stay with friends prior to his return - expecting to be here in UK early next week.

I am humbled by the many kind messages and offers of help that I have received. Most have responded warmly to his latest scrape, though he has clearly exasperated some people.

The FCO certainly know their stuff - if one has to get into a scrape abroad, then a Brit is the best nationality to be.

I have been asked if I expect M to continue flying...I don't expect it, but am absolutely sure that he will. He had two hours to reflect on his future (which could have been very short indeed) after ditching into the Caribbean. I don't think that he can be put off.

KK (M's wife)

One Flew the Cukoo's Nest

Kirstie — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:11:00 GMT

Hello

M has been told that he will be released tomorrow morning.

This has been confirmed as being the understanding of the consulate representative helping him. He is expected to be released at 10 or 11 o'clock local time to local police in order that his belongings can be returned and then taken to his aircraft. I am not clear if he will then be able to fly or whether he will need to arrange transport. I guess that Secret Services will want to check his route before he leaves. As far as I can establish there remains a court hearing at 1pm relating to M's being detained but I'm not too sure about this.

M is in pretty good spirits though perhaps suffering cabin fever at having been restricted for 4/5 days.

On his release I'm sure that a much clearer picture of what happened will emerge.

Hopefully tomorrows events will run smoothly and M will be home soon.

KK (M's wife)

PS the firearms in use when M was arrested were 9mm Berettas (not Smith and Wessons).

In Front of the Judge Wednesday

Kirstie — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:26:00 GMT

Good morning

I haven’t spoken to M as there seems to be a problem with our landline – lots of buzzing and whirring and intermittent stops (probably overhanging branches). He has left a very brief message on my mobile phone.

It sounds as though the situation is becoming more serious – if I am reading it correctly.

It seems that it has been suggested that M was actually going to land on the lawn of the ranch (did not realise that ranches had lawns) but was prevented from doing so by bad weather. I think this very unlikely.

M is a very proficient aviator who has flown around much of the world in this type of light aircraft, specifically designed for tricky manoeuvres onto battle fields during WWII. If M had intended to land on the lawn he would have done so – bad weather or not (and he has experienced some truly awful weather in the past).

I understand that he is to appear before a judge in Texas (I don’t know where exactly) on Wednesday. I am unable to contact him as I don’t know in which department of Austin State Hospital he is being held and can get no further than the switchboard.

I don’t know whether he has been questioned by the Secret Service yet, though I think that this is likely.

M is somewhat eccentric and is quite capable of rather innocently making such a gesture as leaving a message at the ranch gate for the President. He was and is very grateful the US coastguard retrieved so quickly and efficiently from the Caribbean and has already visited the individuals involved to thank them personally.

It has not been out of character for M to visit famous people on his travels. He visited Sir Edmund Hillary during his flight around New Zealand and was presented with a new pair of JR Williams boots at the end of the London to Sydney Air Race by John Howard, then Prime Minister of Australia.

I hope that the US authorities are sympathetic to a rather one-off English eccentric who is bumbling round the world in an 80 mph (maximum ground speed) very old Piper Cub aircraft.

KK (M’s wife)

Psychiatric Update

Kirstie — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Hello

M telephoned again this pm.

He sounded a little more cheerful but is audibly distressed at some of the cases that he is seeing.

He is v worried about the little aircraft as he heard bad weather last night and just hopes that it was tied down as he requested. Let's hope that he requested politely rather than barking orders as he does to his crew (me, Genevieve, 2 old Springer spaniels and a 3-legged Parson Russell terrier, 2 cats and miscellaneous equines) here at home.

He expects a psychiatric assessment tomorrow followed by more questions.

I understand that he did not fly within the prohibited flight area and so hope that this difficulty can be resolved quickly, not least because he is due home on 1 May and its his turn to do the washing up.

Kind regards

KK (M’s wife)

One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Kirstie — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:48:00 GMT

Good evening.

A very rattled M telephoned this evening at approximately 8pm.

He is being held (in handcuffs) in the Psychiatric Department of Austin State Hospital which I understand (from its website) to be a psychiatric hospital only.

At approx 5pm local time yesterday M landed 'outside' the prohibited zone surrounding the ranch of George W Bush. He wished to thank the President for his swift rescue by US coastguards last February (the last drama of this circumnavigation flight). Realising that he could not get close, he landed as described above and walked along the lane hoping to leave a message at the gate.

He did not reach the gate. Instead a car drove behind him and he found two Smith and Wessons pointed at him by police. He was handcuffed, put in a police car while several other cars drew up (eleven he thinks including the Sherriff) and taken to a Police cell. He was arrested (I’m not clear at which point) and accused of being drunk. After failing a test of walking down a white line, he passed a definitive test showing that he was not and was told that he would be leaving shortly. He was later told that he needed to be cleared by a medic and was driven to Austin State Hospital where he has what he describes as a “minder”. He remains in handcuffs.

Since hearing from him, I have contacted the FCO and have just received information from a representative in the States called Rebecca. She has confirmed that M is being held, that he was arrested yesterday owing to security concerns and that no charges have been made so far. He is required to have a psychiatric assessment before Secret Services (CIA or FBI) question him further.

This is rather worrying.

I have no doubt that M was doing as he claims although this might seem somewhat unlikely to people not familiar with him.

A vision of Jack Nicholson in “One flew over the cuckoo’s nest” comes to mind…..

However, as a friend reassured me tonight, “Give the Secret Service personnel one hour with M and they will be sectioned in the adjacent ward at the psychiatric hospital!”

A more sober reflection came from M who simply said that the ward on which he is being held has some very sad cases.

KK (M’s wife)