PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Discuss issues and news related to PIA, Pakistani airlines and Pakistan's civil & military aviation.
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

One of first jet captains of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Capt. Mirza Taimur Baig passed away on October 6, 2010. Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajioun.

Namaz-e-Janaza will be held at Makkah Masjid, Tipu Sultan Road, after Asar prayers on October 7, 2010.

Funeral will be held at PAF Graveyard, Korangi Creek, Karachi.

Image
epaper.dawn.com

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

Memorable photos.

Image
February 2, 1960 - Capt. Shaukat H. Khan (right) and Capt. Taimur Baig with Pan American World Airways Boeing 707-321 (registration N723PA) "Clipper Viking" in the background. This Boeing 707 was acquired on lease by PIA and made it the first Asian airline to operate jets in 1960.

Image
PIA's ace pilot Captain Abdullah Baig (left) and his co-pilot Captain Taimur Baig at Karachi Airport after completing record breaking flight from London with PIA's brand new Boeing 720-040B (AP-AMG) on its delivery flight in January 1962.

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
meekal ahmed
Registered Member
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:35 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by meekal ahmed »

Capt. "Tony" Baig is one of the great PIA legends. I think he left PIA at some point to fly elsewhere. Others will know.

I have this picture somewhere of the two of them in the cockpit of the 720B (on its delivery flight to Pakistan) with FE's Yasin and Khan with Capt. Baig looking back at something on the FE panel. Capt. MT Baig was looking at something on the forward panel. It was in the cruise at night on that record-breaking flight which stands to this day.

One of those FE's died in the Cairo accident.

I am sorry your excellent library does not have the picture.

I will try and locate it. It was in Flight International (UK) and maybe someone can Google it.

I never met M.T. Baig but Capt. Abdullah Baig was a close family-friend known to my parents, admired as a hero by me, and a great socialite with terrific jokes. He knew everybody in society.

Anyway, this is about M.T. Baig and may Allah rest his soul in eternal peace. I suppose the Old Guard (including me) has to move on to make way for the young. That is Allah's will and we must bow to it.
User avatar
jam2k94
Registered Member
Posts: 491
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:55 pm
Location: Kuwait

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by jam2k94 »

انا لله وانا اليه راجعون
User avatar
umar744
Registered Member
Posts: 944
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by umar744 »

Hello

very sorry sad news

How old did Capt. M.T.Baig died today?

I knew he left PIA for SIA SQ = Singapore Airlines Boeing 707 for 12 years then back to PIA flew A300B4 and his senior pilot list LOSS otherwise he should be Number One No#1 in PIA B747 till 1987 or 1990. I guess his age 80 to 83 today unsure.

Yes or No was late Capt. Ali Akhtar Khan Number One No#1 pilot in PIA or which one Capt. Abdullah Baig or Capt. M.T.Baig or Capt. Shakhut H. Khan?

Please let me know and please reply asap

Thank you best regards
User avatar
AbdulAziz
Registered Member
Posts: 913
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:33 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by AbdulAziz »

انا لله وانا اليه راجعون
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

meekal ahmed wrote:Capt. "Tony" Baig is one of the great PIA legends. I think he left PIA at some point to fly elsewhere. Others will know.
As far as I know, Capt. Abdullah Baig affectionately called “Tony” by his friends, served PIA till the end of his career as commercial airline pilot. I read somewhere that unfortunately for medical reasons Capt. Abdullah’s career as PIA pilot ended in late 1960s or early 1970s.
umar744 wrote:How old did Capt. M.T.Baig died today?
Capt. Taimur was born in year 1927 so he was around 83 years old.
umar744 wrote: Yes or No was late Capt. Ali Akhtar Khan Number One No#1 pilot in PIA or which one Capt. Abdullah Baig or Capt. M.T.Baig or Capt. Shakhut H. Khan?
Capt. Ali Akhtar Khan was number one in PIA pilots seniority list and after his death in PIA Boeing 720B Cairo crash in 1965, Capt. Shaukat H. Khan became number one in PIA pilots seniority list.

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

Capt. Taimur Baig is perhaps the only PIA officer who was awarded three decorations/medals by the Government of Pakistan, in recognition of his services for the country. Capt. Taimur Baig received Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam (SQA), Tamgha-i-Pakistan (TPK) and Sitara-e-Khidmat (SK).

According to former PIA Chairman Enver Jamall, Capt. Taimur Baig was one of most liked and admired Director Flight Operations (DFO) in PIA’s history.

In book titled ‘I Remember’ authored by Enver Jamall there’s a chapter in which Capt. Taimur Baig shared his memories. From that chapter I’m posting some of the interesting facts related to Capt. Taimur Baig’s career as PIA pilot.

• Capt. Taimur Baig was born in 1927 in Hyderabad, Deccan.

• In 1952 he joined Orient Airways as Cadet Pilot. In Orient Airways he started his career as co-pilot on Douglas DC-3 Dakota and worked his way up to Captain on Convair 240. After merger of Orient Airways with PIA, Capt. Taimur was selected for training on Super Constellation.

Image
1964 - Capt. Taimur Baig (centre) after completing first proving flight of a PIA Boeing 720B at Shanghai, China. Mr Omer Kureishi (left) also seen in the photo - Photo Source: Book titled 'I Remember' authored by Enver Jamall

• On April 26, 1964, the first route proving flight to China from Pakistan operated with PIA Boeing 720B was piloted by Capt. Taimur Baig.

Capt. Taimur Baig considered Capt. Abdullah Baig as his Ustaad (teacher). Actually, the first route proving flight to China was to be piloted by Capt. Abdullah Baig but somehow PIA Boeing 720B was not available for the flight that day. So Capt. Abdullah Baig piloted a PIA Lockheed Super Constellation from Pakistan into Chinese air space. This particular Super Constellation flight piloted by Capt. Abdullah Baig actually made PIA the first non-communist airline to fly into Chinese air space. Later the PIA Boeing 720B piloted by Capt. Taimur landed in China.

• During the 1965 war a PIA Boeing 720B under the command of Capt. Taimur was based at Peshawar to operate flights between China and Peshawar.

• During the 1971 war Capt. Taimur was among PIA pilots who flew PIA Boeing 707 aircraft between Dacca and Karachi via Colombo. India had blocked its airspace to prevent movement of Pakistani aircraft between East Pakistan and West Pakistan over India. So PIA aircraft had to take longer route. The distance between Dacca and Karachi via Colombo is same as that between Karachi and Rome.

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
meekal ahmed
Registered Member
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:35 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by meekal ahmed »

NO!

Abdullah Baig was never called "Tony"! I do not believe he had an anglisized nick-name of any kind. He was always "Abdullah".

Taimur became "Tony".

Capt Abdullah Baig was sadly removed from flying duties on account of diabetes. He was always a little over-weight. It must have broken his heart.

I met him at Heathrow when he was posted there, after retirement, as, I think, the Station Manager. We talked for hours about flying and his career. He was an engaging man.

I asked him whether he had flown the DC-10-30 which at the time was PIA's flagship (the Jumbos came later). He laughed and said "Informally"! I can see him in the right-seat masterfully flying that aircraft.

Thank you for the information on M.T. Baig's life and career. I am confident his awards were well-earned.
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

^ Meekal, actually someone who served PIA as cabin crew member in 1960s told me that Capt. Abdullah Baig was affectionately called "Tony" but I'll try to re-check and re-confirm this information.

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
H Khan
Registered Member
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:06 am

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by H Khan »

My deepest condolences to the family of Captain. M. T. Baig.

Indeed, Pakistan's civil aviation has lost a great pillar. The names of the pioneers mentioned by the members certainly build what PIA is standing on.

Captain. Taimur Baig left PIA for SIA in 1972 along with several other pilots. He flew B-707 for SIA till 1980 and than left to fly for 'Alia' Royal Jordanian where he also flew B-707. He then flew for Nigerian Airways (B-707) and returning to PIA in mid-80's flew until his retirement.

From what I have heard is that Captain Taimur Baig has logged most hours as a commander on B-707/720 of any Pakistani pilot. His career on B-707/720 stated in 1960 and ended with his retirement. Someone told he has logged on B-707/720 alone close to 15,000 hours.

Captain Abdullah Baig was the ustaad of all pilots who joined PIA in the 50's. He became medically unfit in early 1973, therefore, was not able to fly DC-10's. I believe PIA's pilot training facility is named after Captain Abdullah Baig.


If I'm not mistaken Capt. Taimur's nick name was 'Timmy'

A lot of PIA senior pilots lived in Karachi within the proximity radius of 2 miles. Captains Shuakat, Abdullah Baig, Taimur Baig, Salahjee, Hussian, Yousuf, Khusro, Mobeen, Fazil, Frazer, Chaudhry, Naqvi, Afaq Rizvi, Raja, Zaki, Ahmed, Hasmat, Allah Nawaz, and several F/E lived off Amir Khusro Road, Mohammad Ali Society, KDA Scheme I, and off Tipu Sultan Road.

PS: Captain Abdullah Baig's nick name was 'Tony' as indicated by Abbas
Last edited by H Khan on Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:06 pm, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
umar744
Registered Member
Posts: 944
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by umar744 »

Thank you YES Capt. M.T.Baig was Captain 707 SIA SQ that why my old friend Capt. Graham of Qantas B747 flew with Capt. M.T.Baig on 707 SIA. Capt. Graham told me about Capt. M.T.Baig famous PIA 720B & 707 etc.

What date of birth or what month did Capt M.T.Baig born in 1927 and his age same like my late uncle Capt. M.F.Nasir born 25th December 1927

I ask you, how many Captain pakistani pilot on Pan Am 707 leased 1960 to 1961

Yes or No have capt. Ali Akhtar khan flew Pan Am 707 leased before or not?

Yes or No did Capt. Ali Akhtar Khan flew PIA B720 AP-AMG from Boeing Field USA to London before Capt. Abdullah Baig and Capt. M.T.Baig to Karachi

Please let me know and please reply soon
meekal ahmed
Registered Member
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:35 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by meekal ahmed »

I flew on 723PA from London-Karachi. All it had on the inside of the a/c a plaque which said "Leased to PIA".

I think they retained the PanAm markings on the outside until it was returned. Strange.

The picture of the 720B you have on your site is simply beautiful. It is glorious.

Abbas, Abdullah can never be "Tony".

"Taimur" can be because that is so typical of the Americans!

But go ahead and investigate and I stand to be corrected even though Abdullah was a family friend -- of my parents. I was just a little boy in complete awe and wonder at this great PIA pilot!
User avatar
Abbas Ali
Site Admin
Posts: 52155
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:52 pm
Location: Pakistan

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by Abbas Ali »

umar744 wrote:Pan Am 707 leased 1960 to 1961
The Pan Am Boeing 707 (aircraft registration N723PA) was on lease to PIA from February 9, 1960 to December 12, 1962.
meekal ahmed wrote: think they retained the PanAm markings on the outside until it was returned. Strange.
From March to October 1960, N723PA was in Pan Am colours but sported PIA sticker on fin.

N723PA appeared in full PIA livery for the first time in October 1960.

Here's photo of N723PA in full livery of PIA. Photo taken at London-Heathrow Airport on December 14, 1960.
Image
Click here to see large photo.

Here's another photo of N723PA wearing PIA livery.

Image

Abbas
Dil Dil Pakistan... Jaan Jaan Pakistan

See you at:
Image
meekal ahmed
Registered Member
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:35 pm

Re: PIA's Legendary Pilot Capt. Taimur Baig Passes Away

Post by meekal ahmed »

Thanks Abbas. Loved the picture.

She was a real beauty too -- so graceful.