It all started when I joined the Belgian Airforce as student Pilot of 141st Prom in 1959

Kazerne GERUZET March 1959

We started with 14 aspirant pilots, only 3 will reach the end.... (One missing on the picture, Herman Thys)

.... Peeraer - Karel Vranken - Karel Van Brussel - Lode Beaudout - Jan Van Brussel (+) - Louis .......... - ..... Vandermessen.
.... Lieben - ? - Guy Vanderlinden - Daverveldt .... - François Barrois - .... Thiebaut

If somebody would recognize the missing name, please let me know.

The EVS/EPE (Elementaire Vliegschool / Ecole de Pilotage Elémentaire) in Goetsenhoven

Lode Beaudout, Karel Vranken, Karel Van Brussel, Guy Vanderlinden, Herman Thys.

Lode Beaudout & Guy de-briefing after a flight

One of my two Flight Instructors Lt. André Huysse.
Missing picture of Capt. Eddy De Landsheer

The Nr 4, on which I made my FIRST Solo flight on June the 6th, 1959.

Pictures courtesy François BARROIS

The Elementary flight training was successfully terminated on July, the 6th 1959. I flew 62 missions with 28:25 dual and 12:35 Solo, totalling 41:00 on SV4b

I flew following aircraft's; V-4, V-5, V-11, V-16, V-20, V-21, V-22, V-26, V-27, V-33, V-38, V-41, V-62.

To my great satisfaction, the Nr V-33 is on permanent display in the departure hall of Brussels airport. I flew this aircraft 5 times during my training....
Unfortunately, the aircraft was removed and displayed at "Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en de Krijgsgeschiedenis."
7 Student Pilots out of 14 passed in Goetsenhoven and continued their training at BAKA (Base de Kamina, Belgian Congo)

THE GVS/EPA (Gevorderde Vlieschool / Ecole de Pilotage Avancé) in Kamina (Belgisch Congo)

DEPARTURE FROM MELSBROEK ON JULY, THE 21st 1959 FOR LEOPOLDSTAD on DC-6 OT-CDB

Vandermessen - Karel Van Brussel - ? - Jan Van Brussel - Lode Beaudout
Thibaut .... - Guy - Herman Thys.

DC-6 van de 15th Wing OT-CDB

The flight made a fuel stop in Tripoli. We received a diner in the airport restaurant. For the first time in my live, I was served a spaghetti-bolognaise, as I always refused from my parents. Later I will known as the "Spaghetti Fretter"...

LEOPOLDSTAD

KAMINA BASE (BAKA)

Terminal Building

PROM 140 & 141 together at the 11 November 1959 ceremony

Dockiere Jan Van Brussel Karel Van Brussel "Tone" Bertram

Herman Thys Buzin Famenne Claeys

Lernhout Guy Vanderlinden Lode Beaudout Braco

Kdt. Nothomb

My instructor Adj. "Harry" RAES, decorated by Col. Kreps

Left of Harry, Flight Instructor, Adj. Fonderie

THE FLYING

Live at the school

EPA Building Air view

EPA Building ground view

The "SURVIVAL" training. ( Five days )

Guy Vanderlinden Lode Beaudout

Karel Van Brussel Herman Thys Jan Van Brussel

1960 > 1984 RETURN TO GENERAL AVIATION - Ghent Sint-Denijs-Westrem (More to come)

European Sky Typing (EST) (The beginning at EBKT (Wevelgem - Belgium)

KÖLN - BONN - 14 Aug. 1966

Louwyck (Lou) Freddy Sommerhauwer "Nolle" Louage

Jean-Pierre Rouget Michel Bernair "Zouzou"

Michel Bernair "Zouzou" ready to go....

Stuttgart 16 Sept. 1966

MÜNCHEN Sept 1966

Pretty close..... (Guy)

15 February 1969 - My wedding with Arlette Van Gotha (Still going strong ...)

De Rick, Tom Nowé, Wilfried Calberson, Rudy Maes, Arlette & Guy Willy Van Cauwenberg, Eric Vets, Remy Van Brussel

DELTA AIR TRANSPORT 1967 - 1973 (More to come)

Standing

Luc SOBRY - Dick HATFIELD - Kees MOLENDIJK Lucien GERKENS - Guy VANDERLINDEN
Gisèle STRENGS
Sitting

Manuel "Pitou" SELDERSLAGHS - Freddy VAN GAEVER - Paul VAN DOORSSELAER

DC 3 Total 2.178 hours on 1027 missions

DC 6b 69 Hours on 24 missions

The TEA Periode 1973 - 1981 (More to come)

Boeing B720-130 259 Hours on 594 Missions

Boeing B707-130 958 Hours on 356 Missions

AIRBUS A-300 B1 (OO-TEF) 2635 Hours on 1021 Missions

AIRBUS A-300 B4-200 (OO-TEG) 844 Hours on 302 Missions

SAUDIA AIRLINES April 1981 > May 1987

LOCKHEED L-1011 TRISTAR 2373 Hours on 872 Missions (TRI/TRE)

AIRBUS A300-600 458:40 on 178 Missions (TRI/TRE)

DHAKA Bangladesh

SINGAPORE AIRLINES May 1987 > Jan 2002 (Retirement at the age of 60...)

N121KG

First flight as captain on B747-300 on N121KG - 03 Feb 1988 Taipei - Honolulu
with First Officer HO T.C & Flight Engineer LEE Wing

Boeing B747-200B (Pax) 350 Hours on 75 Missions

Boeing B747-200F (Freighter) 90 Hours on 17 Missions

Boeing B747-300 (Pax) 1315 Hours on 198 Missions

Boeing B747-300 Flight Engineer panel

B747-400

God, I Miss this ......

Boeing B747-400 (Pax) 8.427:33 Hours on 1023 Missions

Boeing B747-400 F (Freighter) 703:36 Hours on 110 missions

9 Jan 2002 - MY VERY LAST FLIGHT ON B747-400 BRUSSELS > SINGAPORE Flt.Nr. SQ 321 AC Reg. 9V-SMO Flt.Time 12:23

A salute to a good friend

Dear friends

Signing flight documents at BRU AVIAPARTNERS for the last time.

My friend Capt. Anderson and F/O (forgot name .....)

My wonderful wife Arlette, who sheared my whole aviators Life,
I coudn't have done it without her !

My kids Nathalie and Christophe

09 January 2002
Shutting down engine Nr 4 at Singapore.
This is THE END on the big ones but not the end of my career.

TOTAL TIME BOEING 747 (All Types) 10.182 Hours

Total time today, 05 January 2008 - 25.200 Hours And counting ......

A Grateful Campany

A drawing from my son Christophe

LIFE AFTER SINGAPORE SIA RETIREMENT

Mid 2002 - As I was informed that TNT was starting a B747-400 operation, I went to Liege to TNT headquarters I was welcomed by Chief Pilot B747-400, Capt. Pierre DEBRAS, who introduced me to the D.O. Capt. Daniel DONNAY. It looked like I was send by heaven, because they were hopelessly searching for qualified B744 pilots. I must have been the only Belgian, retired still qualified B747-400 capt. on the marked at that time. I was offered to start as Flight Instructor.
As I retired from SIA at the age limit for Singapore of 60 years, I Belgium the age limit was 65 years. So I thought, I would be able to continue flying this beautiful aircraft for another 5 years.....
This was overlooking two major hurdles. The French Age limit of 60 years to overfly French territory and my own Belgian Civil Aviation Authorities. I still had a valid ICAO ATPL with B747-400 qualification BUT ..... As by now, JAR was ruling the flight Crew Licence's, I did not had this qualification on a ICAO JAR country, As The Singapore CAA - ICAO was Not a JAR country, I was flatly told at the Belgian CAA office counter that they did not accepted the, and I quote " That BROL Licence (Brol = Garbage ...) and this in presence of my wife.
I received only a STUDENT PILOT LICENCE from the Belgian Civil Aviation Authorities, DGLV. I needed to do, and did, all skill tests for JAR PPL, CPL, IR, ME, FI, IRI, FI-I .......
In addition, as I did not have the B747-400 on a JAR licence, I was not accepted as an SFI. I was allowed to give the the Initial Conversion Ground Course....

TNT From June 2002 till end 2003

Two persons which I will always be grateful;

D.O. Capt. Daniel DONNAY

Chief Pilot (at that time) Capt Pierre DEBRAS

I In June 2002, I started the first conversion course as observer with British Airways Ground Instructor, Mike Hopkins. and Richard COOK
Trainees; Capt. Jean-Claude MICHA & Philippe BROCORENS and First Officers Bill REDER & Rob BRIDGES

Capt BROCORENS & FO Rob BRIDGES

Capt. Jean-Claude MICHA & FO Bill REDER (Red shirt) & BA instructor Richard COOK

August 2002 - I started my first, all alone B747-400 Initial Conversion Course TNT TRTO N° B/TRTO-002
Trainees; Capt Luc GULDENTOPS & FO's Bart VAN MIERT, John DAVIDSON & Rupert STEVENS

Capt. Luc GULDENTOPS

FO Bart VAN MIERT

December 2002 B747-400 Initial Conversion Course TNT TRTO N° B/TRTO-003

AC Visits - 10 Dec 2002
Capt Michel CLAVERAUX & Alain NAGGY - FO's Patrick BLAIR & Gert DE HERDE

Isn't she beautiful ???

January 2003 B747-400 Initial Conversion Course TNT TRTO N° B/TRTO-004
Trainees; Capt. Vincent LANNOY, Marc GOFFART & Ladislav ANDEL, FO's Xavier DELFORGE, Simon TWISS.

Capt. Marc GOFFART

Capt Vincent LANNOY

Unfortunately, the B747-400 operation was temporarily suspended in March 2003. Although I could not fly for this company, I had a very pleasant time working for this marvelous company.

My thanks in particular to

Katty BOURLEZ

Kristin VAN BEECK

OSTEND AIR COLLEGE 28.08.2003 till 10.08.2007

Will be developed in a later stage. Atleast I am flying a beautiful Clipped Wing again, The DIAMOND DA42 Twin Star.

10 April 2007 My 25.000 th Flying Hour

25.000 hours flying which is almost 3 years of my live I spend in the air .....

This flight was done in Ostend with the Diamond DA42 Twin Star OO-TLA. Passengers, My wife Arlette, my son Christophe and grandson Basile.

Mid august 2007, a rather sad situation developed at OAC. A conflict between the new CEO who is also an Ab Initio student and the operational staff (Head of Training & Chief Pilot), resulting in my immediate discharge..... My thanks for nearly 4 years very devoted activities.... But live must go on, The same day, I was offered to join another great FTO (Flying School) i.e. SFA or Sabena Flight Academy. As they are operating the DA42, I am very happy to continue to instruct on this marvelous plane.

SABENA FLIGHT ACADEMY August 2007 - June 2009

After the forced departure from OAC, I was welcomed by SFA where I got the opportunity to continue my, "after retirement job" as flight instructor, on DA 42. In 2008, I became the Chief Flight Instructor for SFA. Most of the time I spend in Mesa (Phoenix) Arizona on Falcon field (KFFZ)

FALCON Field FFZ at Mesa Arizona - USA

After a 5 weeks trial period at SFA training center in Mesa (Phoenix) Arizona - USA, I was proposed to join the USA team starting 2008. Here we go again for a new challenge ....