Hunt The Wind

             *     *     *     *     *      Surabaya, Island of Java, Republic of Indonesia      Friday, 11 th June 1993      Surabaya derives its name from the Javanese words Suro, meaning shark, and Boyo, meaning crocodile – from a legend regarding a giant crocodile battling with a giant shark.  Images of this epic battle can be seen on the city’s logo, flag and a statue thereof.        Surabaya is Indonesia's second largest city and is on the northern shore of Java, 419 miles east of Jakarta.        The city was established in 1293, making it the oldest city in Indonesia, and for many centuries it has been a hub for trade and commerce. The 18th century brought the Dutch and the beginning of the colonial era to Surabaya, with the city developing as a major port for the Dutch East India Co.  Today Surabaya is the commercial heart of East Java, with a large shipyard, and numerous specialized naval schools.      Surabaya sits on a coastal strait between Java and Maduro Isla

              *     *     *     *     *     Flag of Indonesia.      Jakarta, Island of Java, Republic of Indonesia      Friday, 11 th June 1993      My happy “beachcombing” days on Phuket were abruptly interrupted by a telephone call from TRAC in Bangkok.  They wanted to lease me out to a new company in Singapore called AVILINK, which possessed a contract to provide three B-737-200s and crews to BOURAQ Indonesian Airlines.  The captain’s pay was good so I greedily accepted the assignment.      On this day, the 11 th of June 1993, I’m sitting in the left seat of a 737, attached to a jetway at Terminal One, Gate C-7, located on Soekarno-Hatta International, serving Jakarta. Soekarno-Hatta International.      In the right seat is an Australian Captain acting as my line training check captain; an affable sheep herder type from the outback.  Like me, he’s fifty, has got loads of flying experience, with a confidant-relaxed approach to aviation, allowing us to get along swimmingly.