Pablo Mason

Squadron Leader Paul "Pablo" Mason RAF (Rtd.) is a former Royal Air Force pilot, who led the lead RAF Tornado squadron during the Gulf War, and subsequently wrote about his experiences. Mason is known for his handlebar moustache, and his Biggles-like attitude and persona.

RAF career

Mason joined the Royal Air Force after joining the Air Training Corps as a teenager. He initially trained and qualified on helicopters, before transitioning to Fighter aircraft in XV Squadron with the Panavia Tornado. [http://www.aircadetonline.com/flash_site/news_pablo_mason.htm 121 Sqn. ATC - News - Pablo Mason ] ]

Mason was one of 24 RAF Tornado crews detached to Saudi Arabia during the buildup to Operation Desert Storm, with the specific brief to knock out the Iraqi Air Force bases by bombing the runways. On Mason's first mission, an ultra-low level daylight mission on Ar Rumaylah airfield leading a flight of four Tornados, his number two crew of John Peters and navigator John Nichol were shot down and became POW's. Mason flew and led 24 bombing missions in total in Desert Storm, from ultra-low-level daylight, medium-level night bombing and on 2 February 1991 the first ever Buccaneer–Tornado attack using laser-guided bombs.

On his return from the Gulf, on 10 May, 1991 Mason was forced to eject from his Tornado GR1, which crashed near Lubberstedt, Germany, on a training mission.

After the RAF

After retirement from the RAF, Mason retired to his home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire where he wrote his book "Pablo's War." He and his wife run a pet shop, while Mason flew as a senior pilot for MyTravel Airways, the charter airline division of the holiday company MyTravel Group plc, flying both holiday makers and private charters. Mason was well known within the airline for his Biggles like personality and continual matter of fact/joking style, telling a rather miserable bunch of holiday makers who made up the last flight of the 1997 season from Manchester Airport to the Greek island of Kefalonia: "Come on you miserable lot. You are going on your holidays - to the sunshine. You should be smiling you miserable bunch." [http://www.classiquepromotions.com/?genre=8&page=159 Classique Promotions - Pablo Mason ] ] Mason's attitude transferred well to the public speaking circuit, while his knowledge of his craft resulted in him starting a fear of flying course.

In August 2007, Mason was piloting a MyTravel Airbus A320 on a private charter from Finland to Manchester, with the football team and directors of Blackburn Rovers who were returning from their 1-0 UEFA Cup victory over MyPa-47. [ [http://www.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/business/news/display.var.1741735.0.pilot_sacked_after_allowing_rovers_star_in_cockpit.php Pilot sacked after allowing Rovers' star in cockpit] Lancashire Evening Telegraph - 8 October, 2007] Welsh international Robbie Savage had a fear of flying, and asked if he could see the cockpit, which Mason agreed to. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, security on commercial flights both pre and in-flight has been increased, and in the view of MyTravel Mason broke these rules, and endangered the safety of the flight. Although Savage had written to the company in support of Mason, and the football club had also written in support, on 8 October MyTravel dismissed Mason for gross misconduct. Mason admitted bending the rules but denied putting the flight at risk: ""Yes I broke a rule. I did interpret the rule wasn't quite as strict for a private charter, which this was. Everyone on board knew each other. I think above all his (Savage) anxiety about flying has been relaxed in some way." [ [http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=486005&in_page_id=1770 Hero pilot sacked for letting footballer Robbie Savage on the flight deck] Mail on Sunday - 5 October, 2007] Mason stated that he would appeal the dismissal, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7034412.stm Pilot sacked after Savage visit] BBC News - 8 October, 2007] but it was upheld by MyTravel. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7111883.stm Pilot loses Savage sacking appeal] BBC News - 25 November, 2007]

Bibliography

*Mason, Pablo - "Pablo's War" - Bloomsbury Publishing, 12 Aug 1992, ISBN 0-7475-1234-5

References

External links

* [http://www.classiquepromotions.com/?genre=8&page=159 Pablo's page at Classique Promotions]