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ShareNEW DELHI: He may have a pioneering role in the modern day computing revolution. But Bill Gates had to be assisted with hundreds of kerosene lamps to fly out of Jodhpur.
This novel experience for the Microsoft founder happened on Saturday evening, when Gates and his family members had to be provided "emergency" assistance to leave Jodhpur in their chartered aircraft after sundown.
The airport, a strategic forward base of the Indian Air Force, is shut for operations after 4 pm as repair work is under way, a spokesman said. But Air Force sources said the runway lacks lighting facilitiesfor night operations, which is strange given the fact that Jodhpur is a frontline base along the Pakistan border.
As a special case, the airport was kept open for Gates until 5.30 pm. "But due to last minute developments his flight was further delayed," said an air force officer.
The Microsoft founder along with his wife, father and two sisters were staying at Umaid Bhawan Palace. "As the flight was further delayed, necessary clearances were obtained as a special case and the runway had to be lit by goosenecks for a safe take off as it was dark," said Wing Commander Satish Menon, spokesperson for the South Western Air Command, which looks after Jodhpur airbase.
Goosenecks are containers filled with kerosene and lit up with wicks, used sparingly today in case of emergency when lighting fails in an airbase.
An air force officer said "hundreds of goosenecks were lit up" for the Microsoft honcho's planeto take off. "It is an emergencyprocedure," the officer said. And the Gates family finally took offin their private plane as hundreds of humble goosenecks lit upthe runway.
