The Last Flight of the Persian Eagle
A photo I took of Colonel Moezzi at the command of the Royal Jetliner "Shahbaz"
Early flying days
I have always loved to fly airplanes -- or soar on gliders and that to the great sorrow of my distressed parents who feared for the safety of their only son. As a seventeen year-old teenager, nothing for me was more exhilarating to me but flying. Back in 1946 when my father was ambassador to France, I used to sneak after classes at Janson de Sailly to a nearby airport in Paris named Toussus-le-Noble. A sort of glamorized garage with a grassy field and a few antique planes. Cows grazing here and there beyond the fences. One summer day,after a few bumpy landings, I got my license flying solo a vintage World War I biplane. The "Stamp" as the plane was called, had some rudimentary gauges, few instruments andjust a stick between the legs. Besides, you had to crank the wooden propeller with bare hands -- a real death trap, -- I must have been crazy. The "Stamp" according to my instructor was similar to the one that shot the German "Red Baron" out of the skies. My poor regretted parents, may God bless them and how right they were.
Who is Colonel Moezzi?
Following my graduation I was dispatched to Georgetown University - there in nearby McLean, I took to flying a Piper Cub, a sort of safe, easy to fly winged Volkswagen. Today I still fly in Sedona, Arizona but my eyesight is no longer what it used to be, nevertheless... I sit next to a lovely friend in her plane, and she flies it. One should always pass the torch to the next generation. But that is not the story. The story is Colonel Behzad Moezzi, perhaps Iran's finest pilot. His "feather landings " were famous, even with a heavy Boeing one could never sense that Terra Firma had been reached. Passengers always applauded his landings -- other pilots , envied his unique skills. Behzad Moezzi knew I liked flying and had encouraged me to continue that sport. Tehran's flying Club had an array of shiny single engine planes ranging from Beechcrafts, Cessnas to the Swiss Pilatus. Sometimes, I took to flying around Mount Damavand's peak, (see above photo) and admired the marvelous views of Mazanderan and the Caspian sea in the distance. God willing I will see these wonderful sites again. In the 1970's, while I was serving as a diplomat in Paris, Iran had ordered two supersonic Concord passenger planes. The Ambassador and I were invited on a test flight of that swift plane destined for Iran. Click here and see the photo taken on that memorable occasion. Behzad Moezzi was among several Iranian pilots who had been initiated to the Concord.
Colonel Moezzi in Morrocco
The last time I saw Moezzi was in Morocco -- he had just flown the Shah, the Queen and their retinue to exile and landed in Marrakech. The Shah remained in that beautiful town for three weeks. When Bakhtiar's Government fell, he knew the game was over and probably, I believe, had felt it beforehand. To make a long story short, the Shah, an accomplished pilot himself, refused to fly "Shahbaz" the 45 million dollar or so Royal Boeing to Rabat, the capital of Morocco which was his next destination. "This plane is not mine, it belongs to our Air Force" he told me." He added, " I want that plane back to Iran where it belongs, it should not stand here." -- Thus, I went back to Rabat on the last flight of the Persian Eagle. In the plane were a few officials and VIP's who had joined a free ride back to Rabat. In midair, a hostess jokingly announced that the plane was changing course and flying straight to revolutionary Iran. There was pandemonium on board. Anyway we landed in Rabat and few days later the plane was off to Iran. Come to think of it I wish we had gone back to Iran, for though "it may rain gold and silver in a foreign land and spears and daggers at home, it is best to be home." (Persian proverbe of yore)
The Shah paid for the fuel
Following its previous flight from Egypt, the "Shahbaz" fuel tanks were almost empty. The Moroccan authorities had extended a warm welcome and a gracious hospitality to the King. However, since the Shah's stay in Morocco was definitely not an "official visit" obviously it was not up to the Moroccans to refuel the tanks. Unfortunately, Moezzi 's credit cards for the plane's fuel had expired and they were not accepted. He became frantic, it was probably the first time that I saw him lose his nerves. I rushed to the Palace, the Shah was still there. "Sire," I said... Moezzi has no money to refill the tanks and the credits cards for the plane are no longer valid. The Shah had a strange smile and signed a personal check of $14,777, 00 to the order of Shell of Morocco. I wonder what he thought... At the airport the check was accepted, provided that as the "Ambassador of Iran," I would countersign the bill. The King also paid for refueling the "Persepolis" a second Boeing belonging to the IIAF and which had brought back the royal children from the United States. As a token of gratitude, Moezzi handed me some F14 stickers. (See below) -- These were the latest high-tech jet fighters acquired by Iran - Besides the U.S., nobody else had them .
Shahbaz a brand new, elegant, efficient and state of the art Jet.
Contrary to what had been said in the foreign press, "Shahbaz," the Royal plane was not garish. It was simply but tastefully decorated. The Royal quarters were in front, together with two bedrooms and bathrooms. In the center of the plane there was a conference room with telexes, radios and televisions. The ultra comfortable leather seats were pale yellow in the back section and light blue in front. A sort of efficient American Presidential Air Force One, but on a smaller scale. If you ask me how I know it, here s the answer: I have flown twice on US Presidential planes. Both times while on State visit to the US. That seems now a long, long time ago.
The Last Flight of the Persian Eagle
Colonel Moezzi invited me to sit next to him at the control. When we reached the cruising altitude, he tried to get in touch by radio with Teheran - Mehrabad Airport - nobody answered him. He got up from his seat and said suddenly: "Farhad Khan, fly this baby -- It is the first and the last time you will fly a Boeing ." I knew he had put it on autopilot and told him that it was "unfair." Moezzi pressed a button and replied is that so? "Take it up another 2000 feet, just pull here." Up we went... Was I dreaming? I was flying the Shah's Boeing for an instant I almost forgot about the living nightmare I was in.
Exile Air Express Ltd.
Behzad Moezzi was an exceptional person, a man of action, truly fearless. He has earned himself a place in two separate chapters of Iran's swift and turbulent history by doing what he knows best -- flying airplanes and removing dangerous human cargo from Iran. Twice this Iranian Air Force colonel and US trained pilot has run a kind of "Exile Airways Express.," featuring hasty takeoffs from Teheran's airport and a sometimes bumpy ride for the foes of Ayatollahs -- The Shah out, he did it again. After flying 1200 hours in Iran's war against Iraq, the Colonel took on the next mission: slipping out the two most hunted men in Iran, ex-President Abdolhassan Bani-Sadr and his then pal, Mujahedin leader Massoud Rajavi -- aboard a military tanker plane and carrying them out to safety in France, one step ahead of three Iranian fighter jets sent up to intercept them.
Conclusion
They say he has joined the Mujahedins... but I doubt it. After serving in the Shah's Air Force for 23 years, Moezzi has seen enough democracy in the West to want something else for Iran. Maybe one day he will slip back to our homeland and fly some not so democratic hardliners out., they will be grateful to have such a good pilot. Their turn may come too, -- Who knows? Allah is Great and works in mysterious ways... In the meantime, take a look at an exclusive photo I took of Moezzi at the command of the Royal Jet, on the last flight of the Persian Eagle. Look also below at the "bill" the Shah had to pay to refill the jet with fuel!
