A Book Review: ‘From Nose to Tale’ by Gihan A. Fernando. Srianee Dias

A Book Review:  ‘From Nose to Tale’ by Gihan A. Fernando

By Srianee Dias

Note from Speedy: I am happy to continue the theme of Batchmates' family achievements (extending to family from just spouses!), and post this most interesting article by Srianee about her brother's achievement. Well done Gihan!

Full disclosure, the author is my youngest brother, a retired international airlline captain whose career included piloting many different types of aircraft in four different international ailines.It is a fascinating book and each story stands alone.  The stories also cover a variety of situations that airline captains face.  Gihan was the captain on a flight to San Francisco when the crew received the news of the attack on The World Trade Center.  They did not have sufficient fuel to return to Seoul, South Korea, where they had departed from four hours before. You will have to read ‘The Day the World Changed’ to find out how the story ended for their flight.  There is also an amusing story where the author as the captain, had to convey the acceptance of a marriage proposal to one of his passengers on board his flight!

     When we climb aboard a commercial flight, a mere metal tube that speeds through the air at high altitudes , we don’t spare much thought for the person at the controls.

    This entertaining book, which is a collection of stories and anecdotes about aviation, written in the captivating style of a skillful storyteller, will give the reader some insight into the training and the life of a commercial pilot.  The stories of the author’s early years as a trainee at the Ratmalana Flying Training School are especially interesting.  He writes about the trials and tribulations that he and his fellow trainees had to endure.  

   The book is filled with color photos of many small aircraft, which reflects the author’s fondness for them.  It is when one is sitting in one of those two seaters that one experiences the real sensation of flying.

   Readers who have any association with the airline industry will find this book especially interesting. Other readers will find the stories entertaining and enlightening.

  Many of these stories were previously published over several years in ‘The Island’ newspaper in Sri Lanka, some under the pseudonym ‘Guwan Seeya!’  Friends and family persuaded Gihan to publish the collection as a book.

    One article that is not included in the book (editorial decision) was published in The Island entitled ‘Airline Pilots, Doctors, and Lawyers.’ It is not really a story, but will interest the readers of this blog. It compares the regulations that govern the practice of these professions.  Airline pilots must undergo semi-annual medical check-ups.  Three times a year they are tested by regulators in a simulated environment to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to handle all types of emergencies.  Once a year they have to demonstrate their capabilities at handling the safety equipment, which requires that pilots be good team players.

    Doctors in the US have to document a designated number of Continuing Medical Education hours (CMEs) when applying to renew their licenses to practice medicine in their respective states. The requirements vary from state to state. Hospitals in the US also have similar requirements for their Medical Staff.  I am unaware of equivalent requirements in Sri Lanka.

     In his article, Gihan writes “Airline pilots and doctors work in real time unlike lawyers who can take out their diaries and postpone a case for another day.”

     Increasingly, some of the systems designed to reduce errors in the airline industry are being adopted by the medical industry, especially in the operating rooms.  (Operating Room Management-ORM). A pre-op briefing where the surgeon introduces himself and the rest of the team to each other, and outlines the plan for surgery is becoming more commonplace, just as in a pre-flight briefing of an airline crew. Also, just like on the flight deck, even the most junior member on the team is encouraged to voice concern if something seems amiss,even at the risk of embarrassment, unlike in the old days.

     Apparently, a few years after this article appeared in The Island, Gihan was contacted by a private hospital in Colombo.  He writes “They acknowledeged the fact that aviation is at the cutting edge of ‘error management,’ at a time when the Far Eastern ailine I was employed by was a leader in Crew Resource Management (CRM). The hospital wanted to know if I would speak to their surgeons on the risk-alleviation methods used in aviation.  As a CRM facilitator, I requested in turn that, as a starting point for our discussion, the surgeons describe to me a real-life scenario wherein an operation was ‘botched.’ After a lapse of many weeks I was told that “surgeons don’t make mistakes”.  

    The profits from the sale of the book will be used to establish a scholarship fund for aspiring airline pilots in Sri Lanka, because the cost of training has risen steeply

  At the moment, the book can be downloaded on the Kindle App from Amazon.  Those who subscribe to Kindle Unlimited will be able to read it without additional cost.  Hard copies are available for sale in Colombo at Sarasavi Bookstores, Expographic Books and Barefoot.  In the near future it may be possible to purchase them on Amazon as well.

Note added on 15 Feb 2026. Srianee's brother Gihan featured in a post by Lucky about 5 years ago.

"Srianee (Bunter) Fernando Dias' youngest brother Gihan, is a retired Singapore Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines Captain. This article was published in the ‘Island' newspaper about 5 years ago, but since aviation issues are currently dominating the news, a re-read would be interesting. Gihan frequently writes to the ‘Island’ about aviation issues.
Here is the link: https://colombomedgrads1962.blogspot.com/2019/03/airline-pilots-doctors-and-lawyers-with.html#comment-form

 

Daydreams on a winter’s day. - Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

Daydreams on a winter’s day

By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

"Carpe diem, memor praeteritorum" 

"Seize the day, but remember the past".  -  The Roman poet Horace

At this time of my life, nothing inspires me more than the calmness of classical music. Winter Daydreams is an atmospheric piece of music composed by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky. In his music he paints brilliantly his mind at the time with storms, meditation and ceremonial splendour.  There is classical music for every mood and occasion. I have always been mesmerised by the crimson glow of the sunsets that I have witnessed around the world. The combination of the sun, the clouds and their reflection on the water gives the sunset such a magical status. The dreamy and melancholic music composed by Massenet in Meditation from Thaïs and Chopin’s enchanting nocturnes transport me to those pristine sunsets I’ve seen. They do bring peace to my soul.

When my professional tenure ended I moved away from a leafy suburb in Hertfordshire to an apartment in the heart of the big city. I was born with the tropical sun on my face and the rhythms of the seasons remain alien to me.  As the wild winter storms tighten its grip and the snow covers the landscape, I settle readily into the comfort of chintz cushions and the gracious curve of my rocking chair. With each gentle, deliberate sway, I feel an irresistible pull toward the dim and distant past and the happy and uncomplicated present. There is a quiet warmth in leafing through the archives of my mind, a soothing pleasure in memories gently stirred.

When I snuggle up, thoughts and memories of the past, the present and the future seem to swirl in my head. Those childhood memories and the time spent with my parents take pride of place. It has created an Aladdin's cave of wondrous memories.  We spend our formative and impressionable years at school. Those memories of friends, fun and laughter are stored and archived to last a lifetime.

Connecting to the present moment helps me create a little space in my mind to deal with its concerns and controversies. People have long dreamt of an egalitarian society. Despite human existence for thousands of years, all the religions and philosophies of this world have failed to inspire and encourage us to live in peace and share our wealth. There is a high level of economic inequality in the world which is shocking and obscene, and it is getting worse.

Politics is the bane of society, but we need politicians. The origins of the art and science of governance is not clear. But sleaze, corruption and criminality in politics is old as the hills.  Extreme power and control over people corrupt and destroy societies and lives. But we never seem to learn from history. As I look around there is not a single country in the world where politics is clean as intended. In the West, there is unacceptable political corruption, but it lies below the surface and far less conspicuous. In some countries bribery, deceit and deception are accepted as the norm. This causes tremendous hardship to the people.

We humans have caused global warming. Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, forests and wildlife are dying. There is a sense of foreboding of an impending apocalypse. Humanity is undergoing an existential crisis. As we defer, delay and prevaricate, time is running out. The tropical cyclone Ditwah made landfall on Sri Lanka leaving a major humanitarian crisis in its wake. This is blamed on global warming. I do wish more is done to prevent further catastrophes.

The past never truly goes away. Still, my yesterday’s walk with me. My life changed forever as I entered the faculty of medicine in 1962. Much of it remains a haze but there are a few memories that still live on. It’s been said before; ours was the golden age of medical education in Sri Lanka. I feel greatly privileged to have been taught by some remarkable teachers. I still consider our professors, lecturers and clinical tutors as some of the best in the world. I marvel at their clinical skills and recoil at their egotistical arrogance. We soon learnt to survive in that air of toxicity. We tread cautiously and endured the arrogance and conceit in silence in the hope of better times. Surprisingly, I don’t feel resentful. The tough life gave us self-reliance, confidence, grit and determination. I am told; the atmosphere and attitudes have evolved significantly to reflect changes in society. I remember our teachers with much affection and gratitude and thank them for their commitment to teaching.

From the comfort of my rocking chair, I often find myself returning to the General Hospital, Colombo, of the 1960s—where I learned my craft. Despite the inevitable progress and regress, I see it as it was all so long ago. Without that burning ambition and the relentless chase for knowledge, the journey back is poignant and nostalgic.  It gives me such joy to walk those long corridors again.  I see the wards as they were and remember my teachers and friends with much affection, many of whom are now with us no more.

My professional journey began with an internship in Kurunegala. This was followed by seven years in the Health Service. It was, in many ways, a rewarding period. But professionally, I was simply adrift with the wind. What I remember mostly of those years is of the simple rural folk of the Wanni, who were my patients. They were so very grateful for the little I could do to help them.

Many of my professional colleagues were encouraged by the famous phrase popularised by the American journalist Horace Greeley,  “Go West young man”. They dispersed far and wide in search of work and opportunity. After much thought and soul searching, I followed the herd and left the country. From then on, there was the Darwinian struggle of survival of the fittest.  Amidst the fierce competition for the plum jobs, there were the many unwanted prejudices to contend with. Despite all that, life was more stable and predictable. There was a new energy and a joyous appreciation of the status quo. Finally, I found that all-important professional pride and satisfaction. With secure employment came marriage and a family. Then caring for my family took precedence. I embraced and adored everything parenthood had to offer. Time passed on swiftly and relentlessly. 

The sands of time have moved on.  I have progressed from youth to middle age and way beyond. Retirement has given me time to think about life, its highs, lows, and its vagaries. The idealism of my early years is now long gone.  The emotional climate has grown calmer. Spending a lifetime in medicine has the drawback of allowing hypochondriacal tendencies to surface.  I need some lotions and portions to tidy up my health.  We all have learnt to deal with these issues effectively. Now is the time to celebrate our achievements and be happy with what we have.

Cricket has cemented my love affair with London. The game has been my passion all my life. Watching cricket at Lords brings me such great joy. While seated in the ‘Home of Cricket’ there are times when my mind wanders across the vast swathes of land and oceans to where I spent my childhood. The enchantment of those cricket matches of my youth still haunts me. The fizz and excitement of school cricket was infectious. Singing and chanting, I have watched the games under the majestic “Mara” trees at Campbell Park.

Leaving the country of my birth has left me with many scars and regrets. Losing much of the rich Sri Lankan culture, music and language is often hard to bear. I am now a stranger to the new generation that has grown up in my absence. So much has happened to our lives since I left Sri Lanka. It is now impossible to match the closeness I once enjoyed with my family and friends back home. Above all not being with my parents at their hour of need still brings me great sadness that is hard to console. I have paid a heavy price for my professional ambitions and achievements.

It was the Roman poet Virgil who wrote, “Tempus fugit” — time flies. Indeed, it does. Despite life’s fleeting tumults, none of us is here forever; our time will come. Now I find myself in the grip of events, many beyond my control. As an octogenarian, my mind is calmer. There is no longer a burning ambition, no desire to chase money or position. I have fulfilled my duty to care for my progeny.

Worry never helps; it only destroys and pulls the mind into darkness. I seek the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I must, and the wisdom to know the difference—so I may remain calm and be at peace.

I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life. Once I have made the necessary choices for my parting, it is important that I return to my regular routine. There is no purpose in dwelling on death and dying; I will deal with it when it comes. It is true — I will not pass this way again. And so, I must savour the beauty of nature, the birds and the bees, and the company of family and friends. Only then can I truly sing that familiar refrain, “Que sera, sera” — whatever will be, will be.