If you judge the Montreal Aviation Museum by its appearance, you might not be too impressed. But people who know anything about flying may tell you that once you step inside, you’ll be amazed at the history it houses.
Guy Gervais certainly was, on his first visit Thursday morning. Which is hardly surprising, given his own history.
When he was quite young, he decided that he wanted to go into the priesthood. But instead of working at a church, he became a missionary and took on a career very few people dare to.
He became a bush pilot.
The work defined his life and he says it’s the kind of challenge that kept him passionate every day. His first mission was to Papua New Guinea.
He flew in with six other people, landing on the Fly River, and was among the very first outsiders to set foot in the area. It’s an experience he’ll never forget.
In addition to his pilot training, he also had informal medical training to prepare him for his missions. That’s why he was able to set up a simple dental clinic outdoors and provide care for the villagers.
One day the village chief showed up.
“He had a banana leaf on his cheek and water, with a sore tooth and he had 40 warriors with poison arrows,” Gervais said. They told him to make sure their chief wasn’t hurt, but luckily for Gervais, everyone was satisfied in the end
Since then, Gervais has flown humanitarian missions across the world. He flew for fifty years until his retirement at 76, ten years ago, impressing John Lawson, president of the museum.
“He’s accumulated 28,000 hours which is an incredible amount for someone flying light, small aircraft,” he says.
Gervais even flew for a well-known conservationist for four years.
“I worked with Jacques Cousteau in his expedition on the Amazon and the Mississippi,” he said. “He was a great man, and I learned a lot to save the jungle.”
Some missions have been dangerous. Once, when Gervais landed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he was challenged by soldiers who had taken over his airstrip.
“One came and knocked on the windshield, like a wolf, and he said, ‘we want $1,000.'”
But Gervais managed to talk his way out of it.
“In the plane, I always had six bottles of Johnny Walker, and six cartons of cigarettes, Craven A,” Gervais said. “Usually, I’d give only one bottle, but this time I gave two. I saved my life many times this way.”
But it was love that finally tamed Gervais. After flying for more than a decade he met his wife Ruth in the Amazon.
“She was a nurse there and then, I dunno, perhaps I was looking sharp. At first, she told me I was made to live alone but then we decided to marry, and that’s it.”
They had three kids, but he continued flying, sometimes bringing his family with him.
Three years ago Gervais was awarded the Order of Quebec for his work as a humanitarian pilot. He’s very proud of the recognition.
“I say this with great humility, but I’m very grateful to the people of Quebec and the people of Canada,” Gervais said.
Lawson thinks he’s a great example: “He’s an amazing individual and an icon in the humanitarian world.”
Gervais believes in the work he did and he’s thrilled that he was able to bring hope to vulnerable people.
“The sound of the plane means hope and confidence for the people in the villages. It means there’s a doctor coming, a nurse coming.”
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