When I was 5 or 6. We had the Dutch airforce Alouettes coming over our Backyardigans daily. They changed to Bolkovs ?105? And I still looked up every time. Then they closed down the Airforce base Deelen (Arnhem). And I still kept on looking up to the occasional glider plane. As we were close to one of the few hills higher than 100m there was apperently an updraft?
I grew up and could not choose between aeronautics and shipbuilding.
I became bachelor in Shipbuilding and was in lodging directly in line with one of Schiphol runeways during the five years of my 4 years study. That probably was because I still looked up at every plane taking off. It was in my last Year of study that the ElAl Freighter crashed into Amsterdam. Freightning.
Fokker went Belly up and I was glad that I did not had chosen aeronautics.
I worked 10 years in shipbuilding before most of the shipbuilding in Netherlands went Belly up as well.
I was kicked out a yard and went into Offshore works.
The helicopters were back in my life!
Although I only hop on as a Self Loading Bear, I picked up my old interest in helicopters and aviation.
Since the last Sumburg accident I found the Rotorheads forum.
I keep improving my English, my slang and a sense of Anglo humour as well.
Cheers SLB