At this stage of SAUDIA’s growth (1981 – 1982) their fleet of B-737s handled all domestic routes. 

      The B-747s served India, Southeast Asia, the Far East and New York.

                                    While the L-1011 TriStars took care of Europe. 

     As for the B-707s they serviced the Middle East and Africa.

     But they were gradually being phased out by the Airbus 300s. 

     Even though I was flying “antiquated” equipment, I did experience a couple of interesting breaks in the flying routine.

     Upon occasion, one of our 707s was taken off the line and used to supplement the fleet of Gulfstream IIs supporting “Special Flight,” or “Royal Flight,” used to transport the overabundant supply of Saudi Princes.

     Although we “infidels” were never allowed to haul the royal persons (this was done by strictly Saudi crews) still, we were allowed to ferry the empty 707s back to the Kingdom.  I’ll never forget one particular royal ferry flight in early 1982.

     I had to pick up the 707 in London and, when I climbed aboard, I was stunned to find all the coach-class seats had been removed.  In their place were Persian rugs and cushions covering the entire floor – reminding me of the inside of a Bedouin tent.  I could visually imagine the prince, and his family, cavorting back there in flight, without seatbelts, hand-feeding each other from platters of Lebanese catering.  An extremely messy proposition indeed - judging by all the trash and spills left behind.

     Nonetheless, our departure that night was, in a word, “spectacular.”

     Launching empty, with a light fuel load, we at once rocketed to 37,000 feet; where it proved to be one of those exceedingly rare nights without any weather, or even cloud layers, over Europe.  I could see Paris, Brussels – all the way down to Turin, Italy – each one sparkling brilliantly as clustered jewels in the night. 

     I had never before appreciated how close everything was to London, dear reader.  Especially when one has four turbojet engines strapped to one’s ass!  In all the years I was to operate aircraft over Europe – never again would I observe a night, or a day, free of any weather such as this!

     And speaking of a “Royal Flight,” on 13th June, 1982, I was starting to launch out of Jeddah for Riyadh one hot afternoon, when, without warning, the airport was closed.  We ended up getting towed to a freight ramp, where electric and air conditioning carts were hooked up to us.  After waiting roughly thirty minutes, the King’s B-747SP (Special Performance) abruptly pulled up in front of us, at a fair distance away, and parked; shutting down all four engines. 

     This was the modified, shortened-fuselage, long-range version of the 747. 

     Apparently the King had just landed – requiring the airport to be closed.

     Suddenly the B-747SP was surrounded by numerous vehicles and an ambulance.  An air stairs was rolled up to the L-1 door.  In time we observed four members of the King’s bodyguard carrying a large Persian rug, rolled up comparable to a giant enchilada, on their shoulders.  One of the bodyguards stumbled – similar to a house of cards the others also faltered – the Persian rug got away from them and began to toboggan down the steep air stairs.  The bodyguards chased after it – only to catch up to it after the rug hit bottom.  The pandemonium this caused was amazing; everyone running around beating their chests!

     Saudi King Khalid

     The Saudi King’s Bodyguards.

     It wasn’t until the next day that we learned King Khalid had suffered a heart attack on his B-747SP, as it flew in from Riyadh to Jeddah.  His corpse had been rolled up in that Persian rug, which escaped his bodyguards.

     Deceased King Khalid still rolled up like an enchilada.

     King Fahd ascended the throne, and the very first thing he had installed in his B-747SP, was an open-heart operating theater, plus an American heart surgeon always at his side, from Houston, Texas, on a 24/7, rotational six-month contract.  Evidently all the older princes, close to inheriting the throne, were in pretty bad physical shape.

     Replacement Saudi King Fahd, looking for a heart attack.

     At the end of June, 1982, I found an extra 5,000 US Dollar check in my mailbox at flight operations.  Thinking it was a clerical error, I brought the check to my 707 equipment manager, who informed me it was my “mercenary bonus” – guaranteeing my loyalty to the new king!

     In the words of “Brer Rabbit,” dear reader, “Pleeease don’t trow me in dat (monied) briar patch!”

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