Flying career
The first time I was within 30 feet of an aircraft was in 1972. And 20 minutes later we were airborne with it. The Chef Vliegdienst at Gilze-Rijen Airbase, Piet Krikken, took me on a fun flight with a Fokker S11. Flying low through Brabant, a low visit to my parents home in Almkerk, and some stick time. Yes, I wanted to become a pilot!
The ROVL course (Reserve Officieren Vlieger) was at Gilze Rijen Airbase and after a lot of ground based activities (marching, digging, teambuilding) we would get some familiarization flights at the end of the course. Again the Fokker S11 , and now 8 flights.
Serious flight training was done in Canada. Course 7208 started in March 1973 at CFB Portage la Prairie, Manitoba with basic flight training on the Beechcraft Musketeer.
A few months later the jet flying started with the Canadair Tutor at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. More than 100 hours with general, aerobatics, instruments and formation flying.
From November 1973 until April 1974 at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta in the Lockheed T33. The aircraft was about as old as we were, but lots of performance on the cold days and a joy to fly. Also flights in F101 Voodoo and F104 Starfighter were made.
The military wing was issued on 24th April 1974. Next to the military flight training a civil license was obtained: the Canadian Private License. It was used later to get the US PPL and Dutch and Belgian licenses.
Back in Holland the conversion to a jetfighter started on Twenthe AFB. The fighter was the Dutch variant of the Northrop F5, and quite similar to the F5E, called the NF5. After the conversion a transfer to Eindhoven AFB to 314 Squadron. This squadron was part of the Nato Mobile Force and we did spend a lot of flying time in Norway and Denmark. Until April 1984 more than 2000 hours on NF5 and many rides in other jetfighters (Saab Draken, F15, Jaguar, Buccaneer) and helicopters (Bolkow 105, Alouette3).
Next to flying a military jet a lot of hours were spent in different civil aircraft. Banner towing, parachute drops, fun flights, aerobatics and tours with Piper Super Cubs, Cessna 150/172/182, Piper Cherokee, Beechcraft Sundowner, Socata Rallye, Pitts S2 Special, AA Cheetah, Tiger Moth, Stampe SV4A and others. Somewhere in 1979 also a course to learn to fly 'straight and level' in a Cessna Citation at the RLS, the Government Flying School, to be prepared to fly an airliner.
Hiring was slow at the airlines but in 1984 finally transfer to KLM, to become copilot on DC-9-15/30. After a few years these were replaced by Boeing 737-300/400s.
A few years later captain on Boeing 737-300/400, this continues until now as European short haul flights are fun to do, compared to long haul. From 2001 also 737-800/900 variants in fleet.
Some statistics:
Hours flown until 2007: well over 14.000
Types flown: more than 35
Licenses:
Military Jet Pilot Licence (GMB): 1974-1984
Private Pilot Licence (Canada, USA, Belgium, Holland) : 1973-1986
Commercial Pilot Licence (Holland) : 1976-1986
Air Transport Pilot Licence : 1986- now