For Baron and frequent flyers (1)

This is the first of a series of posts about aircrafts. It is dedicated to Baron, all the frequent flyers in this world and anybody who is interested in airplanes.


Auster V. The first plane I ever sat in. This was in the early Fifties at the Aeroclub Olten. I remember the back seat I was in: It was "de travers".


DeHavilland Dragon. My first real flying in the late Fifties. My father had offered me a one hour flight across the Alps.


Convair Coronado 990. July 1965, when I left for Rwanda I flew with this to Athens. One of the airplanes I liked to most. Swissair's version had around 120 passengers capacity. Not really a big plane but good for long distances.


Douglas DC7. The trip continued from Athens to Entebbe, Uganda. One of the "smoothest" propeller aircrafts. Perfection, just before the jets came.


Douglas DC4. Another change of aircraft from Entebbe to Bujumbura, Burundi. Not pressurized which, I remember well, gave me problems with my ears hurting.


Douglas DC3. And finally from Bujumbura to Kigali, Rwanda. A very bumpy flight over the hills of Central Africa. I got airsick for the first time. And for the last time too.


Boeing 707. In June 1967, back to Europe. The first flight in a jet. I was impressed by its size. But I was not impressed by the tightness of the seating space. And I was never attuned to the 707 anyway.

A remark: The photos represent the airplanes I have taken but not necessarely the airlines that are pictured.

I should be safe?

Yesterday afternoon I attended a "Mine Awareness" training. The purpose of this mandatory training was to familiarise us with different type of mines we could come across in our work. Our region, in particular north of where we are, is heavily mined. Organisations are working very hard to demine and to prepare for the population to be able to go back in safety and security. And for us to work also in safe conditions to prepare the return of the people.


Another training? I have done so many. I should know by now. So, is there a need for an additional security training?

I had my first training of two days a few years ago. It was organised by a special


unit of the Swiss Army, the Swissint.

Since a few years, the Swiss Army is sending observers to hot spots in the world, often in support functions of NATO or UN units. We also have a company in Kosovo KFOR. The "boys" were getting more and more experienced and it was decided to create a special two day training for civilians who go abroad to "rough" places. It is for diplomatic staff or, like in my case, for people who go to a conflict area to do humanitarian work.


During two days about 50 of us where in this special training camp in central Switzerland. On our arrival we got shouted at (normal, this is the Army) and then we were divided in 25 groups of two people. I was teamed up with a young lady, a colleague from my agency. The training was harsh but very good.

We had come with an attitude of "we are going to play around". The first day, we had theory, we were explained the risks that we could be confronted with like being taken hostage or ambushes, minefields and many other unpleasant things. The evening came and we were told that the next day would be very tough as we were going to exercise what we had learned. The chief instructor said that we should not worry, that they will not kill us but that it will be close to. Whoever felt that he would not be able to confront the next day should come forward and he would be exempted from the exercise. That would have been an easy way out. The problem was that if one did not get the certificate of completion of the course, there would be no work.

The next day we lost our "play around" attitude very quickly. We got beaten, dragged into forests, shot at (not with real bullets, of course) ambushed, my colleague was going to be raped (I am still proud how I could convince the "rebel" not to do it). Anyway, we were breathless all the time and if it was just a training, it was very close to a "real" thing.

The instructors were very proud of us and we all got our certificate. We would be ready for the "field". Of course, nobody knows how he will react once confronted with a real situation.

But there are continuous refreshers to be done. Like from UNDSS, the United Nations Department for Security and Safety.




I had to take the two above courses before leaving for Sri Lanka. I had taken them already when I left for Darfur, but they have to be redone every two years. Again, no certificate, no work.

Again, the question: Is there a need for an additional security training? Definitely yes. Even if it is only to refresh our minds. But then, situations are changing all the time and new threats are coming up. So, preparedness is important at any time.

But trainings are only one thing. At WFP we have the chance to profit from a good security setup. We are having FSO's, Field Security Officers. These guys are generally former army officers or agents from specialised units and organisations.

They assess situations. If we need to go to an unknown area, they will go and "sound it out" and when they come back and say it is ok to go, we go. But if they say that it is not possible, we will not venture to go there. And at our request, they accompany us when we want to go to a place and feel it would be better for us when they are part of the mission. And believe me, you can trust their judegment and advise.

A friend of mine is a FSO. He has been roaming around and assessed tons of situations. He made a blog on his work. You can see it here.

To honor him and all the Field Security Officers I know, I have put his blog in my favorites. These guys are great; they were from Australia, Canada, Germany, Philipines, United Kingdom, Bosnia, Italy, Austria, Kenya and South Africa. And they made that I was always safe.

In the air again

Back to Sri Lanka for another tour of duty. I am leaving tomorrow and, as usual when I travel, will not be much online for a few days.

As you have noticed, a very friendly "différence d'opinion" came up between Baron and me, originating from my two last posts. About our airplane preferences. I thought afterwards a lot about aircrafts in general and the one's I have been flying in. Just thinking about a few of them more and more came to my mind. Also the airports I have been to.


I almost started an inventory. And I came up with an idea/decision.

In the coming weeks and month, I will make a series of posts about aircraft I have used. These posts will be dedicated to Baron and all the other people who have been spending a lot of time in aircrafts. And to everybody who is interested in airplanes.

Nothing to brag about, simply a historic list about marvellous aircrafts, past and present.

An answer to Baron about his comment on my last post

To make it easy for you, and to start off, here is Baron's comment:

Hi Pete... Congrats man...The chip off the old block is doing A OK...
To be very honest with you...I for one do, not like European technology,...simply because of the fact they think ...if it's not complicated...it cannot be good and that scares me
I think Europe has a lot of potential but they lag behind.... pride it seems
your son should try to qualify on Boeings.... If I have a flight on any European aircraft... honestly..and not meaning any insult...I cancel and re book.. I just do not like the airbuses...I do not think they are safe or air worthy... but that's only my opinion

There is no offence and no insult in what Baron says and it is his opinion. And everybody has the right to have his opinion.

Let's face it: I never was very fond of Boeing aircraft. Though the 737 is ok and frequently used in Europe. But when I started to fly in the 1960's, there were fabulous aircrafts around. Like the magnificient DC 8 from Mc Donnell Douglas. Or the superb Convair Coronado 990. Swissair at that time flew both of them. But then I took other companies and I had to take often Boeing 707's and that was dreadful. The 747 was ok. And as time went by, the DC 8's, the Coronados and other beautiful planes disappeared.

European manufacturers (like the British with their Comet, VC 10, Bristol Britannia) were not so much around anymore.


But in Europe is was felt that there was a need to do something to "combat" the US air industry. And Airbus Industries were created.


I did not much know about it. I was living in Ghana and Mauritania at that time, with no newspaper or any kind of news. Once, I went on vacation to Switzerland (at that time I had a vacation trip every two years. We would fly from Nouakchott, Mauritania to Dakar, Senegal and wait for Air France to come from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. With a 747.

I was waiting for the call of my flight and, indeed, it was called. But, I thought that I did not hear the arrival from Rio announcment. Anyway, we walked towards the plane (in the dark) and I was approaching the 747. Coming closer, I saw that it only had 2 engines. Because it was an Airbus 300. Funny, I thought, they fly this far with only 2 engines? Well they did and there was no problem. I was impressed with this plane. It was very comfortable too. And then for years, I was flying about any kind of airplane.


Early 2000, and for a few years, I was flying between Switzerland and Kosovo with an Airbus 320 or 321. And it is during that period that I started not to like but to love Airbusses. Not because I am an European (because as a Swiss I am not and our neighbours from the Union make us feel it) and for no particular reason. I just loved them.


This love deepened when I worked in Sudan and flew during 4 years frequently (very frequently) Lufthansa who had put brand new A330-300 into service. I always felt that nothing can happen to me when I fly with a Lufthansa Airbus. Of course, something can happen too.


Now, moving to the East I am flying with various A340. The 300 and the 500. Also lovely planes.


And now I am very close to fullfil a dream of mine: To fly in the world's biggest aircraft, the Airbus 380. When it made its maiden flight in April 2005, I had the chance (as I was at home) to see the event life on TV. And I was full of emotion. It went down the runway and lifted of in very graceful movement, very elegantly.

I have spent hundreds of hours in Airbusses, I never had a close call (Baron's second comment) and I feel simply very safe in them. And I must be not the only one. When you look at the delivery statistics in the "World Airliners" magazine, you see that the share between Boeing and Airbus is more or less equal at 50 percent for each. And then North Americans (from Canada) and Europeans (from Switzerland) must be enclined to like technology from their region and have a preference for it.

To end, I will continue to love and fly Airbus. But I am also looking forward to discover the Boeing Dreamliner which must be a fabulous aircraft too. And, as I not only have an open mind but also because of locations I will be, I will also fly Tupolew 134 and 154 (as I have many times). My son, he will continue his career on Airbus. When he came back from his first flight on the A340-500, he called me and said: "Pappa, it is like driving a Rolls Royce".

And finally, Thank you, Baron, for your comments on this. Between looking deeply into my wife's eyes and busy shopping for my friends in Sri Lanka, I was a bit short of an idea for a post. And who knows, perhaps, one day, you will fly across the Atlantic to Europe in a Boeing whilst I fly to America in an Airbus. Then, when we meet in the middle, we can wave at each other.

PS. I still need to fly in an Airbus 340-600, the world's longest airplane.

Breakdown

What happened?

Since days, you have not seen me commenting on your blogs or entrecarding. We had a breakdown of our internet. The private one in our guesthouse.


And it was the most stupid breakdown. It was not a technical one. We simply forgot to pay the bill for the service. And so on August 5: The end. No more connection. This was almost as bad as me having no cigarettes.

I could not visit your blogs, I could not surf, I could not read any news, I could do nothing. We found the bill to be paid (one of our colleagues gets it, but he is absent), we paid and we were promised that the service would be up within one hour. It was not. It was not on after 24 hours. And it was not after 36 hours. And I don't know if it is up now.

Because I am not there. I have arrived last night at home. And my wife took me in her arms. I had a good rest and today I sam going to the wedding of two fear friends of mine. I know them from Darfur, they met there and today they get married. And starting tomorrow I will be visiting you again.

This internet breakdown could have brought me to a nervous breakdown. I say could. Because I never had a nervous (or any other breakdown). And it is not now that I will get one.

See you tomorrow.

Jazz on the 5th, Nr. 15

Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera. Great names. And others. Together in "Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra". Playing "Tin Tin Deo". The summit of jazz and latin influence. Recorded in the early 90ties at Royal Festival Hall in London. The band gave also a concert at this period at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Of course, I was there.

The video lasts about 10 minutes. I was not able to put it "straight" on the blog, so you will have to click the link:

The Inventor of Be Pop

Dizzy, the inventor of Be Pop, starts with his solo on his twisted trumpet (it seems that many years ago, he walked on it. He felt that he hears the sound better and had then all his trumpets custom made with the twist) and then smoothly hands over to Paquit0 D'Rivera for a smashing solo on his alto saxophone.

Enjoy. I am sure you will.

Happy Birthday, Switzerland (like every year)

Today August 1, my dear Switzerland, is your birthday. You were born in the year 1291. After the defeating of the terrible Austrians. Three guys conceived you. You grew, over the centuries from a 3 state country to a 26 state one. And over all those years, you have become a stout lady called "Helvetia".

We are all proud of you. Even if some of us think (and truthfully, not so much anymore) that you are a bit "uptight". This might perhaps have been because we are landlocked. With big parts of the country surrounded by high mountains. They prevented us for a long time to get out to the big world and, perhaps, made that we were (are) a bit narrow minded.

But things have changed and are changing. You have opened yourself to the world. Because today it is easy to travel in the world and many of us are doing so, either for work or for vacation. And this has opened your mind, bit by bit over the years.


Sometimes you are selling yourself not very well. And that is why many people still believe that the only thing we do is to make cheese, chocolates, watches and yodel all day long. But few people know that, since long, we are engaged in humanity and humanitarian affairs. Few people know that we make worldwide advocacy for many important issues, covering many fields. And that we are heard.

Of course, we have problems too. Like managers worrying only about shareholder's value and making big well known companies disappear. And this long before the actual crisis. Like banks, well respected institutions, worldwide, who, to our shock, are experts (we had to discover) in improper deals. Like the biggest and powerful extreme right party. It is obvious that members of this party have never travelled. Their mind is broad like the size of a postage stamp. A small one.

But, on the other hand, our trains seldom run late. And if they do, it is a few minutes. A 3 minute delay is considered very bad and almost a catastrophe and the Swiss, waiting for the train, complain. Not me. Because, every time I come back from a long trip, I have been waiting hours for airplanes. So, what are a few minutes?

I have not been living with you for many years. But I am always happy when I come back. Because in my passport it says that I am your citizen and that I can come back anytime. Even if I had committed the most hideous crime.

And for this, I love you. Happy Birthday, Switzerland