Autos
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Stay tuned for the release of Captain Denis Murphy's upcoming book. “PAN, PAN, PAN - MIAMI CENTER MY PLANE IS ON FIRE!”©2003 by Captain Denis Murphy “PAN, PAN, PAN!” is a pilot’s terminology for distress and urgent air traffic control procedures. Earlier last year Captain Denis Murphy was the pilot on a charter flight from Havana, Cuba involved in a real life survival event. Captain Murphy’s story is a very unique episode in the archives of aviation history. He was able to survive an in-flight fire; a cockpit full of smoke; a forced ditching into the Atlantic Ocean when both engines gave out; and getting out of the sinking plane wreck while surviving in shark infested waters. An Air Force C-130 and an American Eagle Commuter airplane plus Coast Guard Units searched to no avail but the event culminated in being rescued by a local fisherman near Marathon in the Florida Keys. At the time of this occurrence Captain Murphy was only 4 miles from the Marathon Airport and 40 miles from the Key West Airport. Contemplating doing an emergency landing with an engine on fire at the Marathon Airport, faced with a potential exploding fire situation, Murphy acting alone , pursued a well calculated course of action. His strategy avoided what would otherwise have very likely been the loss of life to the civilian population in the cities of Marathon or Key West. At the Marathon Airport, the runway is oriented in such a manner that in order for him to land , he would have been forced to overfly the city of Marathon endangering the local population with an airplane on fire. Being an avid boater and knowledgeable of the environmentally sensitive areas as both engines gave out on him, the plane was meticulously ditched in the ocean in such a manner that it came to rest on a sandy patch, causing little damage to the seabed. Also, no fuel leakage was detected at the crash site. At the crash site the plane appeared to be intact in about 30 feet of water. The situation definitely was the best case scenario from a resource standpoint, and of course, the best thing was that the pilot was brought off alive. Additionally, from a human and personal perspective Captain Murphy was able to interact with the local Cuban people realizing first hand, the reality of their condition. During his many flights to Holguin, Camaguey, Santiago and Havana, Cuba, he befriended a local airport official which brought to light the plight of this man’s family as well as many other Cubans. Revealing never- before told stories with the incisive thought and emotion of one who was there. By offering insight into the lifestyles and living rooms of common Cubans, Murphy goes beyond those images to illustrate life amid the contradictions of a struggling socialist relic that has chosen tourism and the U.S. dollar as its economic saviors. This should be required reading for anyone who is thinking of visiting Cuba or buying a Cuban cigar. This is not just a story of survival and desperate human conditions, but also a story of emotion, passion and love as at the time of this flight, Captain Murphy had just been married to his dear wife for only one month. Also due to the international political recognition of this incident, starting in January 2004 the Bush administration will no longer grant travel licenses for the vague category of “cultural study”. This type of license is being suspended because it was too often abused. Captain Murphy is in the process of writing a book entitled PAN, PAN, PAN - MIAMI CENTER MY PLANE IS ON FIRE! The book goes into detail regarding the political issues of U.S. citizens being barred from traveling to the communist island nation since 1963 when the Kennedy administration enacted an economic trade embargo against Cuba. Murphy offers a picture of the complex , an honest , behind-the-scenes look at everyday Cubans dealing in a chaotic island that remains the final battleground of the Cold War. It also illustrates his dramatic engine fire and rescue. Captain Murphy has spectacular home video of a road trip in a 1949 Hudson from Havana to Santiago de Cuba which depicts first hand the beauty, but at the same time, the evolution of a people struggling to survive a forty-year mistake. Aerial pictures of Havana and the airport will also be included. After Captain Murphy’s accident, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) decided to require more stringent training for 135 charter operators flying over open oceans. This is also a testimony to Captain Murphy’s remarkable airmanship skills during his emergency. Finally, Grace Genovieve Murphy was born on February 10, 2004 and she is a miracle baby in so many ways. Grace is the daughter of Nancy and Captain Denis Murphy. Grace is truly a miracle baby due to the fact that her mother had to overcome enormous medical challenges in giving birth to this wonderful gift from God. Captain Murphy’s conduct displayed extraordinary concern for others. His outstanding airmanship skills and tenacity under the most trying conditions contributed significantly to the safety of the local citizens. Captain Murphy’s prompt and courageous actions taken with complete disregard for his own personal safety, reflects the highest traditions of the aviation community. Denis’s determination, perseverance, faith, and shear will to survive is unparalleled and return to flying is an inspiration to everyone. Overall PAN, PAN, PAN - MIAMI CENTER MY PLANE IS ON FIRE! is a realistic and dramatic survival episode of the human spirit filled with passion and political intrigue which will make a great movie ! Denis book goes infinitely further by exploring and explaining the workings of the cerebral processes and systems that help answer the questions raised by the tireless Denis having first-hand experience his own life-threatening encounters, but to anyone who has asked him or herself the key question lying at the root of Denis’s curiosity: how we developed the resources that helped man, a reasoning animal, cope with the prospect of imminent death. Please contact Captain Denis Murphy at 954-684-4677 or email at airfoil65@yahoo.com Below please find pictures of our darling baby Grace and of Captain Denis Murphy. |
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