SUBANG JAYA: The sky's the limit for the country's first locally recognised aerobatics pilot, Captain John "Scratchman" Sham as he dazzles the crowd with eye-catching loops and rolls in the skies above Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, here.
The former Royal Malaysian Air Force pilot, who flies the state-of-the-art Gamebird GB-1 aircraft said there is little room for nerves as he performs intricate aerobatic manoeuvres as low as 250 feet above the ground whilst flying at an excess of 400 kilometres per hour.
"The only time you see the crowd is before takeoff and after landing. But walking towards the aircraft and seeing the excitement on people's faces is always a reminder of what's to come," he said when met at the sidelines of the Selangor Aviation Show 2024.
Captain Sham said despite the thrill of performing, he remains laser-focused on one key aspect – safety.
"It is my ultimate goal. It's crucial to keep the performance exciting but also safe. This allows me to perform again and ensures trust between the crowd and authorities."
Consistency, he adds, is one of the major challenges he faces.
"It's about being consistent in safety, performance, and considerations. The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and other authorities need to see that a newly endorsed aerobatics pilot in Malaysia can deliver a safe and consistent show every time," he said, adding that this is his fourth outing with the GB-1.
He said his debut with the aircraft was at last year's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition.
Reflecting on his achievements as the first CAAM-recognised aerobatics pilot, Captain Sham said he felt humbled and honoured.
"This was not easy to attain. The wealth of experience from the air force as well as the facilitation by the CAAM in endorsing me has helped me to be where I am today."
He said his achievements are a signal to other Malaysians to take to the cockpit, work together and let the world know that the country is capable of such leaps in aerobatics.
"A lot of times we feel that we are limited because we don't have resources and experience and we tend to look up to a lot of a lot of people from other countries.
"I'm not saying I don't look up, I use them as reference. I use them as my motivation, but I use my country flag as my motivation to tell myself that I want to advance in this so that more Malaysians can take the cockpit when I retire one day."