The Prince and the Pilot

In 1999, I was contacted by a charming Egyptian gentleman named Zohair. He represented the youngest prince of Qatar, who had seen me performing motorised paraglider stunts at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. The prince was so impressed that he wanted to learn to fly a backpack paraglider himself, and Zohair was tasked with finding the right instructor—me.

I was invited to Doha, Qatar, with the best equipment money could buy, and the plan was to spend two weeks training the 21-year-old prince. I brought along my colleague and fellow instructor, Mike, to assist. Seven months later, we flew first-class to Qatar, with all the gear shipped ahead. On arrival, we received a warm welcome and were taken to executive suites at the Intercontinental Hotel.

The next day, Zohair introduced us to Ahmad—one of the prince’s closest friends and personal bodyguard. For six days, we waited at a private training area 15 km outside Doha, ready to begin. During that time, the prince hadn’t yet appeared, so we made good use of the downtime by flying and testing the equipment. On the fourth day, we invited Ahmad to give it a try, and he was eager to learn and picked it up quickly.

On the eighth day, the prince finally arrived, and training got underway. He proved to be a quick learner. After a few short dune flights, he was confidently airborne. Over the next days, we progressed to radio-linked flights, teaching him control and safety.

On the third day, I decided to fly alongside him with a video camera to capture his progress. As we took off, he soared along the Gulf towards Doha, enjoying the experience. However, he flew further than planned, eventually breaching the city’s restricted airspace—a serious concern, as Doha’s skies are strictly protected. I quickly launched a faster glider to catch up. By the time I reached him, he was circling a building in the city, enjoying the view. Fortunately, after a few moments, he turned back towards the training area, and I accompanied him back safely. Later, he explained that he had swapped his radio earpiece mid-flight for his mobile phone headset to call a friend in the building—wanting to say hello while flying past. It was only his second motorised flight, and his enthusiasm got the better of him.

The next day, we wrapped up with some low dune flying and a relaxed final session. The prince arranged for us to experience traditional Qatari hospitality, including falconry and quad bike rides across the dunes. We also spent several days exploring the old city of Doha, learning about the rich culture and history of the region.

Returning to Australia, we were not only well-compensated but filled with unforgettable memories. I still have some of the old footage flying with the prince—an adventure I’ll never forget.

By Sohn Herbert.