As Buckle-up Y’all, we’re in for another Bumpy
ride…
Yeah, I suppose this story is a Wee’ bytamite
Ghoulish, Err maudlin. But I came across some “new” old Formula 1 characters I
simply wanted to scribble about. As it was the totally unknown Jose Dolhem that
sparked this story’s topic…
Following the Washington D.C. Midair Crash
involving a American Eagle TSA Airlines bombardier BRJ701ER passenger jet and
U.s. Army Blackhawk Helicopter, killing all 67 persons involved, I learned the
following from a recent article in the New York Times.
“More than 90 percent of the country’s 313 air
traffic control facilities operate below the Federal Aviation Administration’s
recommended staffing levels. (According to an analysis of staffing data from
the union representing controllers obtained by The New York Times)
As of earlier this month, (January) 285 facilities — which include traffic
control towers and other locations — were below staffing thresholds set by the
F.A.A. and the union. At 73 of those facilities, staffing is so low that at
least a quarter of the work force is missing. Even though the U.S. air travel
system remains among the safest in the world.
Efforts already underway to hire and train new
controllers are expected to fall short of staffing demands, according to F.A.A.
projections. Nearly three-quarters of facilities will still remain below
recommended staffing levels after a long training process.
Improving the ranks may not happen quickly. It
can take over four years to train a new air traffic controller at a certain
facilities. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the site of the crash
this week, (January 29th) training takes nearly 16 months, the data
shows.”
Perhaps it’s just Mwah? But has anybody
realized the irony of this deadly crash at Reagan National Airport, and that
wasn’t it ‘Ol ronnie’ (Reagan) Himself who famously Fired Air Traffic
Controllers for striking? Or something to that effect Wayback’ in the 1980’s,
Righto
Hmm, perhaps El
Presidente Fired All of those career service Federal Employees in order to free
up “staff” for the woefully understaffed Air Traffic Control facilities, Eh?
Nah, as the Emperor
was modeling His latest duds’ at the Day-Toner’ 500, His administration was
busy firing thousands of Air Traffic Controllers!
Oh yeah, I keep
forgetting, we’re gonna do More with less now, Oh Never Mind!
Yep indeedy’, Ronald Reagan Fired 11,000 of the
13,000 striking Air Traffic Controllers in 1981, for which arguably, we’re
still feeling the effects of today!
But back to the totally unknown Jose Dolhem
that sparked this No Fenders story, as Y’all know who that is, Righto? Nope,
I’d never heard of Him previously either…
Louis Jose Lucien Dolhem was born on April 26,
1944 in Paris, France. Making His debut in the 1971 European formula 2
Championship, driving for the Siffert Racing Team. Finishing P14 at the
Autodromo di Vallelunga aboard a Chevron B18 Ford Cosworth.
Jose’s F2 career was mediocre, before He
attempted qualifying for three Formula 1 races in 1974. Failing to qualify (DNQ)
upon His debut at the French Grand Prix for the Surtees Racing Organisation F1
Team, aboard a Surtees TS16 naturally aspirated 3.0-litre Ford-Cosworth DFV V-8
entry.
Dolhem then again failed to qualify (DNQ) at Monza,
before finally qualifying for the season finale U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins
Glen.
Unfortunately on lap-10, fellow Surtees
teammate Helmut Koinigg suffered suspension failure at Turn-2, shooting Him
into the nearby Armco. Yet this Armco had been improperly secured, killing the
Austrian instantly upon being Decapitated! Thus Surtees immediately withdrew
Dolhem from the race.
Jose would have passed into obscurity again,
exceptfor one personal fact I found quite interesting. As He was the Half
brother &And first cousin) of future Formula 1 racer Didier Pironi.
Dolhem was killed in a light plane accident at Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert
Loire Saint-Etienne on April 16, 1988 at Age 43. Ironically dying just eight
months after Pironi (Age 35) succumbed during an Offshore Powerboat race near
the Isle of Wight. While both Dolhem and Pironi are buried together in the same
plot in Southern France.
David Charles Purley, born on January 26, 1945
in Bognor Regis, Sussex, England, led a most colourful life. From surviving a
British Army parachute training exercise
when His parachute didn’t open! No Lucas Electric Jokes Here, Yall! To
surviving a massive “G” loading crash, to ultimately dying in a small plane
accident.
David’s father was the proprietor of LEC
Refrigeration in Jolly ‘Ol England, which Purley would run under the banner of
during His brief Formula 1 career.
David made His Formula 1 debut in the 1973 Monaco
Grand Prix, making eleven entries between 1973 to 1977. With a best finish of
ninth in the 1973 Italian Grand Prix during His seven starts.
Purley is most renown for His gallant but
fruitless attempt to rescue countryman and F1 competitor Roger Williamson at
the ‘73 Dutch Grand Prix. For which He was subsequently awarded the George
medal for His bravery and valour.
Whilst Purley also survived a Mega’ high G-Force
accident at Silverstone in 1977. Incurring an estimated G-Force deceleration of
180 G’s, when going from 108mph to 0mph in just over one foot (26-inches) due
to a stuck throttle!
Following retirement from F1, He took up
acrobatic flying and unfortunately, was killed in His Pitts Special Acrobatic Biplane
in July, 1985. Crashing into the English Channel at Age 40.
Austrian Harald Ertl is another of the
countless unknown F1 drivers that litter the History books. Born in 1948, Ertl
went to the same school that fellow Austrian racers Jochen Rindt, Niki “The
Rat” Lauda and Der Helmut’, aka Dr. Helmut Marco attended…
Ertl was most definitely an F1 Journeyman
driver, plying His trade between 1975 to 1980. Making a total of 19 starts from
38 entries – a 50% “strike” rate.
Arguably, Ertl’s claim to fame is being one of
the four drivers who pulled Lauda from His Ferrari at the Nurburgring in 1976.
When Ertl, Brett Lunger, who was collected by Lauda’s careening racecar. Guy
Edwards and Arturo Merzario rescued Lauda from the inferno His Ferrari was
engulfed in!
Ertl, a motorsports Journalist did find success in Touring Cars before dying at Age 33 on April 7, 1982. When the small plane He was traveling in experienced engine problems…
