Grandeur as Moi, Kibaki pilot lands after 44 years in the skies

The excitement is obvious on the Wilson Airport runway late Friday afternoon.

The event takes place in the splendour of the Blue Bird VIP reception.

The final chapter of Colonel (Rtd) James Gitahi's incredible adventure was about to begin.

Gitahi boards the aeroplane Flight 5Y-VVO and prepares to welcome onboard his final passengers.

"This is your pilot speaking, ladies and gentlemen..."

After 44 years of flying over the sky, the retiring chief pilot's career flight landed.

The flight, a brief 30-minute excursion, would take us to Masinga Dam and back, offering breathtaking views of Thika town and a captivating tour over the concrete jungle that is Nairobi.

Blue Bird, renowned for its charter planes and VIP transport services, had the plane's interior exude comfort and opulence. The seats were exceptionally comfortable, providing ample space for passengers with a higher BMI. Additionally, the aircraft boasted generous legroom and a well-carpeted aisle.

As we commenced our descent, upon the touchdown of the wheels, my hands instinctively gripped the armrest in anticipation of a rough landing. However, to my astonishment, Colonel Gitahi showcased his exceptional skill, executing a flawlessly smooth touchdown, a testament to his illustrious career.

A water salute awaited us as we taxied along the runway. A water salute is a gesture of respect, honour, and gratitude bestowed upon a veteran pilot to commemorate their final flight.

Upon disembarking from the aircraft, the entire Blue Bird staff had gathered, forming a mini parade to pay homage to the man who had been an integral part of their team for over a decade.

Though regulations stipulate that one should cease flying commercial flights after attaining 65 years, the chief pilot expressed his desire to continue flying as he feels still young.

Following the fini flight, Colonel Gitahi was led to a waiting truck, where his fellow pilots and student aviators were waiting to pull him out.

He tearfully waved goodbye to the gathered colleagues, friends, and family.

The pullout ceremony or parade was witnessed when the Kenya Defense Forces escorted former President Uhuru Kenyatta from Ulinzi Complex to Defense. The ceremony always marks the culmination of an officer's illustrious service and retirement.

Gitahi reminisced about his flying career. It was in 1979 that he first joined the Kenya Air Force, embarking on his training at the Pakistan Air Force Academy before continuing his journey at Moi Airbase.

Destiny led him to the VIP Squadron, where he served before bidding farewell to the Air Force in 2010. Throughout his tenure, he gracefully balanced the roles of a commanding officer and a pilot.

"The journey was not easy, but I weathered the storm and finished I thought that was the end of life only to discover there is more out here, being a civilian I was even shocked I could fit in."

His first VIP passenger was president Daniel Moi in 1984 where he was the first officer to the man who trained and employed him later after the service, former Bluebird CEO captain Hussein Farah, where he took his job after Capt Farah left the airforce.

He also boosts flying the late president Mwai Kibaki, Hussain Ershad of Bangladesh, Vice presidents, members of parliaments, and many more

"I have done more than 220 presidential flights in Kenya, I thank God for ensuring I was safe for all the 44 years I have been flying as some of my colleagues we were at war with are six foot under."

In his 32 years in the airforce and twelve years as a civilian pilot, he says there is no airstrip in Kenya he hasn't landed. He says being a good pilot one has to be disciplined, committed, and put in the work.

Among the key highlights of his career is having blown more than eighteen thousand hours in both multi-engine aircraft, flying President Moi for almost 17 years and Kibaki until his retirement on the Dash 8-100 locally known as Harambee one or airforce one internationally.

"I had to fit in into the president's way of life by ensuring their reading cabinet is fully stocked before embarking on any journey."

Captain Farah says he met Col Gitahi 44 years ago when he joined the airforce as a student pilot when he was an instructor.

"What he has done and achieved is not by sheer coincidence but by his ability as a pilot and an officer."

The captain says he had urged Gitahi to leave the airforce to join him but he was reluctant, but later in 2011 he left the airforce and joined him at Bluebird Aviation.

"When I saw him coming, I first laughed and welcomed him but he ended up being one of the most trusted employees getting to the rank of chief pilot.

Their relationship evolved into more than work Col Gitahi has trained captain Farah's son to be a pilot. Captain Farah who also left the airforce at the rank of a colonel says his best flight with Gitahi was when they were ferrying aircrafts, the first Dash 8's to come to Africa where they flew from Canada through the north pole into Iceland, the UK, Egypt, Khartoum then Nairobi.

"We don't normally like remembering our challenging flights. But once in a while, turmoil could start in our neighboring country, Ethiopian nomadic communities raiding Turkana, attacks from Sudan and sometimes Somalia and we had to respond my favorite person to go with was GItahi because of his performance.

His wife Senator Betty Montet says she had to adopt a prayer life, as a flying career in the military was not easy and they lost many friends.

"He has been a good aviator all along, I have been told by those who work with him and I am proud of how far he has come and grateful for that. As a pilot's wife the fears are there every day that he may leave in the morning and not come back I have to say a prayer to him every morning."

She says her husband's hard work, commitment, and organization to his work also inspired her to scale higher. She explains that her husband never used an alarm to wake up despite him having early flights a virtue her family takes after

"Our son captain Gitahi Junior is also a pilot and luckily two weeks ago he got a wife who is also a pilot in the airforce."

Though he might not fly commercial flights anymore due to the age limit, colonel Gitahi was offered another role by the Blue Bird CEO Captain Hussein Mohammed to train the student pilots

"He is the most experienced aviator in the country I could say so and it would be good for young people to understand what you have put into for the 44 years." Said capt Mohammed

As he signs out he says all could not be possible without having a supportive family and dedicated colleagues especially engineers who ensure the aircrafts are in good condition every time.