Tuesday, December 12, 2023
I am very sorry I missed this obit of Peppi, but as I am now in Australia I don't check as often as I should. First of all, my deepest sympathies to Peppi's family. I sincerely hope Peppi related some of his "aviation adventures" - as he had many, some almost unreal what he could do with an airplane - no fear either in the early days. Of course, he mellowed a bit when he flew for Saudia in the Middle East......my dad, Charlie started flying with Peppi and Guy at Fredericton Aviation in the early 60s.....Karl Harvey, another legend, was one of the instructors there.....I followed my Dad in 1968 when I was still in High School, so I did all my initial flying there until the Fredericton Flying Club opened in 1969....as time went on, I actually bought a twin engined plane and chartered it out in the early 70s- parked at Fredericton Aviation - run by Guy ( what a gentleman ).....I heard so many stories about Peppi - yes, a true aviation legend for sure. In the end, we were both Captains on the Lockheed L1011 Tristar, he with Saudia and I with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.....after having flown in the Middle East for 10 years myself, I now kick myself for not reaching out to Peppi when in Fredericton, but I got back so infrequently and there was always my own family and friends.
I hope Peppi's family get to read this - he was one of a kind and a true aviation hero......
