The Air Traffic Control business 1969 – 2001

Now working in Copenhagen Airport (in the Air Traffic Control Center) we decided to move from our flat in Lille Værløse. With the civilian job we could afford to build a house in Tune 30 km south of Copenhagen. Here the children grew up and went to school until 1980. Both Puk and I had several jobs Puk teaching at the Adult Evening School. I also taught at the evening school and soon we started to run a small Catering Business.

Our house in Tune which we sold when leaving Denmark in 1980

Copenhagen Air Traffic Control Center 1970 - 1980

It was dark and sometimes very boring.

(left) One of the cook books I made for my teaching at the Adult Evening School. (right) I was very active in running long-distance and participated in the “Erimitage Run” every year. My best time for the 14km was 1h 2min.

IN 1980 THE BRITISH ATC PROVIDER, IAL, OFFERED DANISH CONTROLLERS EMPLOYMENT INITIALLY IN MALAYSIA. THEY OFFERED DOUBLE SALARY, FREE HOUSING, GENEROUS LEAVE (56 days per year), FREE SCHOOLING – ALL TAX FREE. WE SIMPLY HAD TO TRY IT!

Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Center 1980 - 1983

It was easy work, exciting surroundings and an interesting life. The children went to the International School in KL and Puk had to learn to live the pampered wife’s life.

Our house was large (5 bath rooms) the servants difficult to handle, but the coconuts were delicious (from ones own garden).

We joined the Turkish diplomatic circle and had good fun. We travelled extensively (during our long holidays) inside Malaysia and outside (see the travel part of my tale). The jungle was impressive and dangerous.

During my time in Malaysia I decided to start to write on my LIFE’s work, the HISTORY OF AVIATION IN TURKEY. For that purpose we travelled extensively to Turkey the next 15 years, always meeting aviation friends there and sitting many hours in the archives

IN 1983 AFTER 3 YEARS IN MALAYSIA OUR COMPANY LOST THE CONTRACT THERE AND WE WERE POSTED TO ABU DHABI IN THE UAE. PUK WAS NOT A GREAT FRIEND OF JUNGLES AND I NOT OF NOT WORKING VERY MUCH SO IT WAS A WELCOME CHANGE. WE NOW MOVED TO A LARGE FLAT NEAR THE CORNICE DOWN TOWN ABU DHABI. OUR CHILDREN NOW CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION AT COLLEGE IN USA.

Abu Dhabi International Airport 1983 - 1989

The beaches of Abu Dhabi and the coral reef outside is beyond imagination. The work in the airport was exciting (it was during the Iran-Iraq war and the epidemics of high jacking in the Middle East) and I was checked out in all possible work positions of ATC (ground-radar, Tower, Approach, Area, Oceanic, Information, ICAO Instructor and Supervisor)

I had good contacts to both civil and military flying organisations and managed to get around quite a lot. One could get any food in Abu Dhabi (even pork and liqueur) and we always had Iranian Caviar (250g) for our birthdays.

Our social life was extensive with parties, barbeques in the desert and Dow trips.

The desert made a great impression on all of us and we loved our trips deep into it.

IN 1989 PAN AMERICAN WHO WAS THE ATC PROVIDER IN OMAN APPROACED US TO HIRE ME TO SET AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SCHOOL IN OMAN. THE OFFER WAS GRACIOUS AND THE TASK INTERESTING SO WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE. IN THE SUMMER OF 1989 WE MOVED THERE.

Seeb International Airport 1989 - 1991

We were housed in a compound next to the airport and my school. First I checked out in ATC (I insisted to know the local job before training others in it!). Oman is a very interesting mixture of past and future. It is in many ways like Africa and has many past and present ties with it. Unfortunately PANAM went bankrupt shortly after we arrived so we didn’t even get a free first class ticket (which we were entitled to!) before we were sold to Johnson Control (another American company). Life was not as comfortable as in Abu Dhabi and our accommodation was NOT up to standard. However, the job was VERY interesting, especially as I had to fail the whole first class of controllers them being incapable of learning the job. In late 1990 (when we were on vacation in USA) Saddam Hussein attacked Kuwait and our world changed. After some deliberations (among others financial) we decided to leave the Middle East at the end of the year.

I had a close relation with the Royal Air Force of Oman and made several flights with them into the desert and to Salalah.

BACK FROM OMAN WE DECIDED TO RETIRE IN ANDORRA. WE HAD BOUGHT AN APARTMENT THERE ALREADY IN 1984. THE ANDOORANS, HOWEVER, THOUGHT WE WERE TOO YOUNG AND DENIDED US RESIDENCE. AT THE SAME TIME SWITZERLAND HIRED INSTRUCTORS AND I WAS EMPLOYED FOR PART TIME DUTIES. A FEW MONTHS AFTER I STARTED THERE THEY ASKED ME TO REORGANISE THEIR TRAINING AND SOON AFTER I WAS SELECTED AS THEIR NEW PRINCIPAL.

Swisscontrol ATC Training Academy 1991 - 1996

During our 5 years at Swisscontrol a new school, SFS was organised, a new training concept, RATE-1 constructed, a training field, Ecuvilliens taken over and foreign staff hired. The competence and success rate of students climbed rapidly and many new systems and simulators were introduced.

In addition to my duties as Principal I participated in the development of new training syllabi at Eurocontrol. We had very nice housing and thoroughly enjoyed summer and winter outdoor life. We were lucky in acquiring many trusted friends in little Switzerland.

By the way I turned fifty in 1993 while living in Swizerland.

Once more flying was a large part of my life and the SFS had several instructors who served as pilots when we went on inspection tours across all the airfields were our students were employed. One of our instructors was an ex. World Gliding Champion a chance which I did not let me pass! After our five fine years in Switzerland it was time to move on (we felt!) and on our departure I was made Lifetime Honour Rector of Swisscontrol.

WHILE WORKING IN SWITZERLAND I MADE MANY INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS WITHIN ATC. THE DFS TRAINING ACADEMY LET ME KNOW THAT IF I EVER WANTED TO LEAVE SWITZERLAND I SHOULD LET THEM KNOW. IN LATE 1996 I CONSEQUECKLY STARTED MY JOB THERE AS RESPONSIBLE FOR “DEVELOPING, INTRODUCING AND ENSURING THE QUALITY OF RUNNING THE NEW CONCEPT”. WE FOUND A FANTASTIC APARTMENT NEXT TO THE WOODS NEAR THE ACADEMY IN LANGEN.

DFS Training Academy 1996 - 2001

The DFS Academy is situated in the woods at Langen near Frankfurt, nice working surroundings! Soon the new training concept was constructed, DATS-1 employing many working groups and personnel. A large part of the job was selling the concept and much effort was used on that.

After the initial plans the implementation called for much “new thinking” such as computer based training and 3D simulators.

Our apartment in Langen. Shortly after we arrived at DFS we had an employee party. At the door raffle I was lucky enough to win this Golf car which served us well during our stay there.

In 1998 our Air Force Flying Training Class celebrated its 35^th Anniversary at the Karup Air Base to where the School had been moved with the closure of the Avnø Base. Twelve (mature) gentlemen participated most still working in aviation. We had the chance to re-enact our first flight!

AND THEN WE ENTERED THE NEW MILLENEUM – A GOOD TIME FOR RETIREMENT!

The entering of the new milleneum we celebrated in the close family. As one of our families lived in Iowa and the other in Colorado we decided to celebrate right in between, on the prairie of Kansas.