Robert’s Flying Microbe
Happily and easily born in September 1941 at Antwerp, as call sign “Robert”, luckily it was not “Nabukodonosor”. My mother unconsciously, instructs my first flying lessons; she fed me daily imitating a plane with a spoon. I liked it, she confirmed, my food got in like a piece of cake. Now I understand why I am always hungry after a flight.
Few years later, 1952 (at age 11), my father took me to the Antwerp Airport where I could sit in a real plane, a Piper Cub OO-AHP together with my sister. She was not so convinced about my flying skills at that time. However, I was so happy, imagining I was flying high between the clouds free as a bird, boys dream.
Trying to make balsa model planes, you will not believe it but I used to have an Ercoupe flying model from Keil Kraft – Essex, powered with and elastic rubber. It never flew, but was a fair static model. After that, a more look-alike model aircraft, with an engine, mixed fuel, a lot of noise and two strings to fly in a circle. That was during my boarding school period at the age of 12 to 16. Only problem was that I got tipsy after a few minutes; concentrated at that small balsa plane turning in full speed 360° around me. After a few crashs I abandoned the model flying for the real stuff. I also made a few plastic models, but that was not so dangerous.
At the age of 18, in 1959, I started to fly gliders at Keiheuvel (EBKH) with my instructor Mon Van Gestel ( look how happy he was to teach me the art of gliding.)
My first flight was on 18 August 1959 with a Rhönlerche OO-ZUG, after 6hr32 (14 August 1962) my first solo, a trilling experience that I never will forget, concentrated on what to do where, 400ft/downwind – 200ft/base – hop and landing.
Gliding was amazing but waiting the all day on the airfield and fly, perhaps, a few minutes was not so exciting. The distance from Antwerp to Keiheuvel is 65 km and I intended to fly, not to drive back and forth.Therefor, at Antwerp Airport (EBAW) I joined the Royal Antwerp Aviation Club (R.A.A.C.) and started flying real planes. Our Club founded in 1927 by the famous Antwerp aviator, Jan Olieslagers, as Antwerp Aviation Club and became Royal in 1952.
On September 8th 1961 (aged 20), I received my first Belgian Training License Nr.4067. My instructor was the famous, legendary, war ace with charisma, Mr.Daniel Jordens and I flew a Piper Cub from R.A.A.C.
He was a real Gentleman; small, thin, perfectionist, and could shout if you did something wrong. An intercom or radio for small planes was not common; the Aldis lamp (green, red, white) from the tower was the only communication in use. From September 1961 until September 1962, I did 12hr37 and made my first solo in a Piper Cub. My tie cut and was so proud; this was the start of a long journey. I remember the circumstances exactly: blue open sky with little cross wind, runway 29. I made two circuits, then as short as Daniel could be, he shout me to “go back to the tarmac”. My thought was- Robert that is not a good sign, what did I do wrong again? He let me stop the Cub on the end of the runway and shout, “go alone”. I was so surprised, was he joking, angry, fed up, was it so bad? He realizes I was astonished and shout “go solo” and he stepped out and closed the door. Robert was full of stress with the engine still running, concentrate on all the checks I had to do, lined up and full throttle. Up until 500ft, left turn, 1000ft level out, left turn base, green light from the tower, rocking with the wings to acknowledge and final runway 29. That landing was not very impressive; I taxied to my instructor who was shouting “again and better”. So I did, it was not a three point landing but a smooth gentle one without stress, and believe me I enjoyed it fully.
During that same year (1961) in July, I went to a parachute-jumping course as civilian in the military Para Commando base of Diest-Schaffen. With eleven other tourists, we followed the third civilian course or “A3”. After one week ground training, we made our first automatic jump out of a balloon. I had some books about this matter and they all mention a solid shock when the parachute gets open. With the first jump, we had to count “101-102-103” but only “hund....” came out, the rest was stuck in my throat, I was also afraid to look up if the parachute was open. However, I was slowing down and balancing from left to right and the earth is coming slowly closer, I am save. On the ground the instructor, Charles Coremans, was shouting in an megaphone instructions I could not understand; perhaps the stress and joy that I am still alive. The landing was hard, and hurt my head on the ground, splitting my helmed. Definitely, the instructor was shouting some good advice, too late. Immediately we receive all a new chute and back in the balloon, the second jump was much better. Then the euphoric good feeling, hanging in the smooth air and slowly down, it was always too short. Additionally we start shouting things as “Geronimo” or “Banzaï” in the free dive, and feel terrific, as a super man. Only eight jumps I made, only one out of a military Flying Boxcar, you where happy to jump, so noisy. Unfortunately my mother and my girlfriend where so anxious about that jumping thing, they could not sleep at night, and I am not so egoist, so I had to abort the parachute.
The type of chute was the round white or kaki “Irwin” I think, also used during the 40-45 war.
My intention was to join the Para Commando in the Army, but as soon, my mother heard about it, she faint practically. The Para Troupes where send to the ex Belgian Congo during the troubles in the sixties, and I was sure to go, that I missed also. I did my 12 months obliged Army service 6 months in Belgium, and 6 months in Germany (Soest and Werl), in a fuel depot as 1st sergeant, the useless period of my youth, that is an other story.Unfortunately, my car with all my flying documents where stolen the 2 December 1970. I cannot find more precise dates and figures; I have to trust my memories. From the Belgian Civil Air Administration I received the following figures:
Between 1961 until 1970 I did the following flying hours;
- Piper Cub, instructor- D. Jordens – Dual 11hr42 – Solo 6hr84.
- Morane S880B, instructor- Raf De Vijlder – Dual 43hr18 – Solo 26hr12. OO-RAF
- Marchetti S 205-18F, (RAAC) instructor- Guido De Brouwer– Dual 6hr39 – Solo 6hr84. OO-JDB
- Cessna 150, (Sotramat) instructors- J.Vermeiren & Lady Cunna – Dual 26hr36 – Solo 18hr57 –
Night Dual 6hr28 -Night solo 1hr25.
- Simulator 9hr58.
