I have had some memorable moments in my life, I shook the hands of several presidents (including of the USA) and their wives, but one of the most memorable moments I will cherish is the one in which I spent time breaking bread with the legends of the aviation industry and engineering of Guyana, who made history with their contribution across the world.
During my recent visit to Fort Lauderdale Florida I met with Roland Da Silva the first and only holder of the Cacique Crown of Valor for his role in the military action in the Rupununi and Fort Jaguar; Michael Pacheco, the first Guyanese to captain the Boeing 727s and 747 series aircraft whose career took him to every continent and dozens of countries across the world; Robert Dornford, Engineer, former GM of Guyana Airways and architect of Guyana’s venture into the jet aviation age, Mervyn Dornford, the brother of Robert and a former motor racing champion in Guyana and the USA, businessman, entrepreneur and electronics wizard, and David Roberts one of the few if not the first Guyanese to hold FAA approval on DC-10s, MD-10s, MD-11s and Boeing 707, 727, 737 classic, 757, 767, 777s who currently supports the U.S Department of Defense in their efforts across the world.
Our conversation ranged from their life experiences that placed them in some unusual circumstances to the current state of aviation and engineering in Guyana, the Caribbean and the world at large.
Stay tuned for upcoming stories from these unsung heroes who in spite of their accomplishments remain very modest.
