2018 february - love dornier 228...chimps as south sudan is a conflict-ridden area, which is why we...

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2 dollars for an orange

What difference does it make? Making art in the sky

Lifeline over the Amazon

Designed for duty in the toughest conditions

Norway – safari through Europe’s unspoiled wilderness

The wing makes all the difference

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Greetings

On location

Doing good

Special people

Passionate pilots

Design dream

Travel

Shop talk

The LoveDornier228 magazine team

The Dornier 228 customer support team

Dear Dornier 228 friends and family,

Welcome to your LoveDornier228 magazine.

Together we share a common passion for this aircraft. We believe it is important to share our stories and the stories of

those lives impacted by you and the Dornier 228.

The Dornier 228 community is a community of sharing and caring – in good and in bad times. Our magazine is about a very special aircraft that often takes us to places where people, animals and

the environment are in great need but most importantly, it is about the very special people who face those challenges. As we discover

your worlds, we discover your challenges. I personally am honored and want to thank contributors for sharing your experiences

with our community.

Let us keep building our future through a community of collaborating, sharing and listening. If you have a story to share, please contact us.

We would love to hear more about your experiences.

Volker Wallrodt Senior Vice President Business Jets, Do228 & Components

––– CONTENTS ––– ––– GREETINGS –––

– 2 –

2 dollars for an orangeSaving Juma, Ezo and Congo

For those of us, lucky enough to witness chimpanzees in their natural or simulated

environments, we find ourselves fascinated by their human-like behaviors. Little do

most of us know about the peril that the chimpanzee population faces. Stories

about the dwindling populations of larger-size animals like elephants and rhinos

make the news routinely, but the plight of these diminutive creatures that smile,

laugh, and cry rarely makes headlines. In 1960, more than one million chimpanzees

inhabited forests across Africa. Those numbers have dwindled to somewhere

between 50,000 and 250,000.

––– ON LOCATION –––

BY LOIS GUCHU AND

CHRISTINE ANNE BERGER

– 4 –

– 6 – – 7 –

Today many governments seem to be adopting policies in favor of wildlife conservation. Some countries have highly trained law enforcement components dedicated to wildlife protection.

Although such measures have not managed to put a complete stop to poaching and other activities that en-danger wildlife, they have contributed greatly to slowing it down. Almost 200 countries have joined Swiss-based CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The members commit to adhering to the international agreement that aims at ensuring that the international trade of animal specimens does not threaten their survival. Many of CITES member countries are in Africa. Still, chimpanzees remain on the brink of extinction.

In addition to other factors, two heartbreaking reasons chimpanzees are an endangered species are illegal ani-mal trafficking and bush meat smuggling. Poachers at-tack and kill entire families of chimpanzees. The adults are harvested as bush meat and the babies that survive are sold as pets. Poaching is illegal across Africa, but curtail-ing the practice remains a challenge for local wildlife protection forces because of the amount of money peo-ple pay for the bush meat as well as for the live babies.

Human society has been chiefly responsible for the plight of chimpanzees; thankfully, humans are also the

solution. Today, primate rescue rehabilitation centers and sanctuaries are growing across Africa. Established ape organizations, like the African Apes Foundation, routinely take on challenging rescue tasks, while oper-ating with few financial resources. These organizations often rely on donations and grants to fund the purchase of equipment or to train staffers, such as caretakers. Collectively, rescue and rehabilitation centers care for hundreds of apes and monkeys.

For rescued primates, their new life of freedom begins something like an action-adventure movie. Firstly, the law enforcement agents must legally confiscate the pri-mates from their captors. Secondly, a rendezvous with a highly skilled pilot, caretaker and the proper paper work must be organized in order for the mission to be a go. In addition, a hospice or sanctuary also needs to be readied to take care of their new members on arrival. Rescue flights often operate in potentially dangerous areas as many primates in jeopardy are held in zones where environmental or political disturbances can erupt unannounced.

When the Wildlife Authorities in South Sudan, for ex-ample, need to coordinate a rescue mission they call organizations like the African Apes Foundation to help in organizing the extraction of the primates. Sometimes it also works the other way around. It can be that the

African Apes Foundation finds chimpanzees in need of rescue. When this happens, they call Wildlife Authority Senior Advisor Alfred Akwoch and Chief CITES officer Khamis Ding, both based in Juba, to help organize the legalities of confiscating the animals. It is important that rescue organizations function lawfully through the legal channels of the Wildlife Authorities and never pay for the chimpanzees so as not to encourage poach-ers. The South Sudan Wildlife Authority Senior Advisor Alfred Akwoch and Chief CITES officer Khamis Ding have always been and are still extremely supportive of chimpanzee rescue missions. They also have a very high success rate of placing the rescued chimpanzees in well-established sanctuaries thanks to the African Apes Foundation.

Recently Alfred and Khamis became aware of three young homeless South Sudanese chimpanzees in a po-tentially dangerous zone. Their names are Juma, Ezo and Congo. The three displaced boys lost their families due to poachers. Alfred and Khamis needed support and funds to rescue them so they called “Annie.” Her real name is Ann Olivecrona but she says, “everyone just calls me Annie.” Annie is a Zoologist based out of Kenya and is the director of the African Apes Foundation.

Annie is a networker par excellence. She organized all the necessary governmental approvals with Alfred and Khamis and then called on Graham Walsh, also known as “Twig.” Twig volunteered without hesitation to fly the mission with one of the Kasas Dornier 228s. He

Dornier 228 being prepared for a rescue mission during the late hours in Yambio on August 9, 2017.

Left: Director General of Wildlife Kuol Mayen Mading (center left, white shirt), Wildlife Authority Senior Advisor Alfred Akwoch (center left with tie) and Chief CITES officer Khamis Ding (center right with blue shirt) arriving from Yambio

with rescued chimpanzees Juba, Ezo and Congo in Juba, August 10, 2017. Right: Lodge manager Ivo van Haren holding chimpanzee Ezo as he gets to know his new home

at the Acacia Lodge in Juba on September 15, 2017.

Human population expansion is slowly infringing upon natural habitats. This is the central issue posing a threat to the lives of chimpanzees and other primates. “In Africa, the population is

growing faster than on any other continent,” reports the Jane Goodall Institute, an organization dedicated to the welfare of primates.

Besides population growth, the accompanying economic activities, such as logging exotic hard woods or commercial farming, have drastically diminished chimpanzee habitats. These activities

deplete the soil of the minerals needed for trees to flourish, and forests fail to regrow fast enough to replace these primates’ natural home. Chimpanzees share 98% of human DNA:

Consequently, they are at risk and prone to succumb to many of the same diseases that adversely impact humans, such as the Ebola virus.

Also of note is that chimpanzee populations do not grow quickly. Females have single births once

every five years, which is why the population continues to decrease.


– 8 –

had been on several chimpanzee rescue missions before with Annie. They once saved a chimp named Marco from Yambio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and more recently he flew Annie and four chimpanzees from Rumbek, South Sudan to Uganda. Annie says, “He has been a rock for us. Twig knows South Sudan like the back of his hand and therefore he can get in and out safely.” She continues, “It is impossible to drive the chimps as South Sudan is a conflict-ridden area, which is why we need the Dornier 228.” Twig is also one of the founders of Kasas Limited, a Nairobi-based charter airline that specializes in operating across varied, and often perilous, terrain.

“One of the first rescue flights I made with Twig convinced me how valuable the Dornier 228 is to our rescue missions. In fact, I remember how we practically mowed the grass with the Dornier 228’s propellers on what served as our landing strip, just so we could land!” Annie asserts, “Our goal on these missions is to fly in and then fly out with our precious cargo as fast as pos-sible. The Dornier 228 is immensely helpful because we can rely on it for successful flights, even in unexpected operating environments, where practically no runways exist, where there is limited to no logistic support, and at times, where there are highly fluid political climates at work. The aircraft’s large, square-cut cargo door is an added plus, as it allows us to load the chimps in their crates as fast and as easily as possible, creating less stress for the animals throughout the rescue mission,” explains Annie further.

Kasas Limited co-founder Paul Antrobus, emphasises, “The rescue flights are all about speed and safety, for the chimpanzees and the flight crew, and we rely on the Dornier 228 for it all. We are also aware that the Dornier 228 can fly at low altitude, ensuring that the rescue chim-panzees can breathe easily as they’re taken to safety.”

Life for orphaned chimpanzees is fraught with chal-lenges even after they are rescued. Experts believe that chimpanzees cling to memories of their lost loved ones. Building trust is a main focus for the rescue center care-takers. Rehabilitation is a long process. It may take years for a rescued primate to be well enough to begin a new life on his or her own in a sanctuary.

In response to this challenge, Annie must find sustaina-ble solutions and funds for transport, lodging, medical, caregiving needs and more. In the case of saving Juma, Ezo and Congo, Annie asked her friend Ivo van Haren who manages the Acacia Lodge property in Juba. Acacia Lodge, owned by friend Stuart Herd, now provides a safe and playful home for the three chimpanzees.

Ivo and Stuart built houses and playgrounds especially for the “children.” The chimpanzees are just 3 and 4 years old and because they were orphaned they have no one to learn from. The keepers’ job to raise the three boys will be a dedicated one. The chimps are safe now but they need lifelong love and care. A chimpanzee can live to around 50 to 60 years old. Juma, Ezo and Congo love oranges and an orange in Juba is expensive, costing $2.00 each.

The effort to save these beautiful creatures is not a local, but global effort. The members of the African Apes Foundation do not take a salary so every cent donated goes directly to helping save chimpanzees and even buying them oranges. Helping people like Annie, Alfred, Khamis and Twig make a difference, makes a difference. One difference they made is successfully saving the life of

three little chimpanzees on August 10th, 2017 but there are still more chimpanzees who need help. If you would like to help Annie’s African Apes Foundation (www.africanapes.com) buy things like

$2.00 oranges, medicine, crate permits and flights, please contact her or simply donate electronically.

http://africanapes.com Bankgiro: 829-4308 or

Account number at SEB 5293-10 104 64 IBAN number: SE6250000000052931010464

BIC/SWIFT Code: ESSESESS Organization number: 802477-3429

Director and Founder of African Apes Foundation Ann Olivecrona.


What difference does it make?

How much effort does it take to deliver humanitarian relief to Somalis suffering

from civil war and drought? LoveDornier228 takes a closer look at some of the logistical

challenges the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) faces in Somalia.

––– DOING GOOD –––

BY CHRISTINE ANNE BERGER

– 11 –Displaced peoples camp in Sool region, Tukaraq village, Somalia. A mother and her two children in front of their house.

(Photo: ICRC, Photographer Pedram Yazdi)

It is 0400 hours on a Monday morning at the ICRC regional delegation office in Nairobi, Kenya. A pilot prepares for another challenging mission: flying hu-manitarian relief workers and their mission critical

supplies to one of the nine ICRC Somalia compounds. All the necessary authorities on the ground in Somalia have been notified in advance. All the green lights needed to clear the day’s take-offs and landings are “a go”. This must take place prior to every mission other-wise the mission is a “no go”.

The ICRC has been providing humanitarian aid in So-malia since 1977. Maintaining their neutral, impartial and independent principles can be challenging as the ICRC has to routinely encourage warring parties to re-spect International Humanitarian Law (IHL). They also help organize aid to the hundreds of thousands of displaced people looking for a home and help those displaced people regain a life in dignity. The aid itself ranges from medical re-lief, food and water to veterinarian assistance and building and help-ing the flow of economic life. The main challenge the ICRC faces today is that it requires people to deliver all this aid. And those people also need to be kept safe.

Somalis are mainly a nomadic people who depend on their animals for livelihood. Without their animals, they often cannot survive outside the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. An internally displaced person is

someone who needs to flee his or her home but who re-mains within their country’s borders. Civil war, drought, Tsetse flies and other conditions have drastically reduced their livestock and the ability of the Somali people to live independently and with dignity. The Somalis priorities in life are thus water, their livestock, nutrition and food, followed by health care and lastly education. Helping Somalis stay out of the IDP camps requires putting effort into helping them help themselves and enabling them to care for their families despite the challenges civil war and drought has imposed on them.

Jordi Raich, the current head of the ICRC Somalia Del-egation says, “It’s a common but not correct assump-tion that things in Somalia were good before the war.”

Even before the Somali civil war Somalia struggled with transi-tional government structures, left-over effects of colonization and the constant uprising of differ - ent fractions fighting for power. Somalia has been ravaged by civil war since 1991. The people’s lives are challenged weekly, sometimes

daily, by violent events amplified by two years of severe drought. For example, Jordi explains that on any day a bomb can explode in the market, “there is chaos for a few minutes and then life goes back to normal within the hour.” When asked what it is like then to walk down the street or to take a stroll? Jordi states, “We don’t just walk down the street.” Communication Co-ordinator Layal Horanieh explains that when they need

to leave the compound for such things as meetings, providing clinic support, IHL training, detention visits, food distributions and training agricultural coopera-tives they must do it safely. Safe traveling for the hu-manitarian workers here means being protected by private security companies. “When we do travel to provide aid, it can be done by land or air; however, you cannot go anywhere by land because of rampant un-rest. We do transport a lot by truck but it’s very expen-sive to lease the truck and ensure its protection around the clock. This can sometimes be more expensive than leasing a plane.”

Air transportation in Somalia is essential in the pro-viding of aid of over 1.1 million internally displaced people (UN Refuge Agency, December 22, 2014). Layal recalls being a passenger on a transport plane, “the pilot is not just a pilot. He manages all aspects of the trip and is an integral part of the team, the ICRC family and our work in Somalia.” They protect everyone and everything on board and to do this they must be in charge and as Layal says, “everyone re-spects their protocol willingly.” Pilots with experience in these extreme hazardous zones are crucial to the ICRC. One safety measure Air Operations Manager


Xuddur’s landing strip is an open field with herds of camels, goats and sheep watering at boreholes located nearby. Football goal posts can also be spotted on the sides of the parched and arid field. (Photo: ICRC, Photographer Abdikarim Mohamed)

Internally displaced camp near Galkayo town in Mudug Region, Somalia. (Photo: CR NORVÈGE, Photographer Olav A. Saltbones)

“To help, without asking whom!”

Henri Dunant (1828 – 1910) Swiss philanthropist and founder

of the Red Cross.

– 12 –

– 15 –– 14 –

Morgan Babin takes is insuring that he has experi-enced knowledgeable pilots flying ICRC missions. The safety and security of all ICRC air missions in Somalia are his primary concern.

Morgan also leases aircraft and hires pilots from Kasas Limited in Niarobi, Kenya, for critical missions deep into Somalia. Kasas delivers the necessary experience and capabilities required on such missions. They offer vari-ous fixed wing air support solutions including long-term aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) leas-es, “wet” leases, “dry” leases and ad-hoc charters for passengers or cargo. The planes and pilots cannot and do not stay in Somalia when they transport. They must return to Kenya after each flight. Therefore, the proper planning for the number of hours pilots are on mission duty, the lack of ground and maintenance support for crew and aircraft in Somalia and the timing plays an integral part in each mission. Morgan must also factor in local field security reports when planning.

Critical Humanitarian Relief MissionsTo fly critical missions to the villages of Xudur, Dhobley and Bardera, the ICRC regularly uses the Dornier 228. The missions require flying a round-trip of 2,000 kilo-meters, with a large part over territories of unrest and landing on rough gravel and dirt strips. So, before the mission is “a go” all warring parties and locals in the area must first agree that the ICRC can fly over certain territories and go into the designated area without

being harmed. This takes special negotiation efforts facilitated by the ICRC.

The Red Cross emblem is attached to the aircraft before each flight and is recognized for the most part, but it wasn’t long ago when robbers were waiting on land-ing strips to jump in and steal the possessions of the people aboard the plane. Layal reflects and says, “even today everyone on the plane is aware of the potential danger.” One of Morgan’s responsibilities is making sure he picks the right plane for the right job. Morgan explains that his experienced pilots sometimes do a fly over of the runway first to scare off any animals and to check who is around. However, usually his ground team manages to clear the runway first as part of their safety procedures. There are extra efforts put in on all sides to deliver the much-needed aid transported by the plane.

“ICRC Somalia is about team work and solidarity. We are like family,” sums up Layla. So, what difference does it make whether the ICRC family is in Somalia or whether a pilot flies at 0400 hours in the morning with humanitarian workers over territories of heavy unrest in Somalia? What difference does it make that a local relief worker helps clean off the runway so the veterinarian can bring a vaccine to the animals? What difference does it make that food and medical supplies are brought to the distant villages of Somalia? To the Somalis seeking to live their lives in dignity, it makes a world of difference.


In 2017, ICRC Somalia assisted 1,433,205 million people with food, water and health services including building water wells, reeducating people who have lost their animals and reuniting

families who have been separated by war. In addition, they have also conducted 19 visits to 13 places of detention to monitor the living conditions and treatment of over

2,150 detainees. Visits carried out provide a multi-disciplinary response integrating a health component (training of health staff, support to prison infirmaries), water and sewage

systems maintenance and the distribution of hygiene items in addition to vocational training programs in carpentry, sewing and masonry.

For more information visit http://blogs.icrc.org/somalia/

Top left: Pilot Tony Ngare makes a routine check of the plane shortly after landing at the Dhobley airstrip in Somalia. (Photo: ICRC, Photographer Abdikarim Mohamed)

Top right: Internally displaced persons camp in Puntland, Garowe. (Photo: CR NORVÈGE, Photographer Olav A. Saltbones) Bottom left: A cyclone forced some 10,000 Somali families to flee their homes in Puntland.

The ICRC distributed food as well as essential household items. ICRC teams and Somali Red Crescent Society volunteers unload a truck at a distribution site. (Photo: ICRC, Photographer Fatuma Abdullahi)

– 16 –

Katsuhiko Tokunaga became a dear friend many years ago as he traveled

South America to make air-to-air photographs. It’s challenging to put

into words who this extraordinary man is because he is cordial, charming,

passionate and “one of a kind”. “Katsu”, as we all know him, is often considered

to be the best air-to-air aviation photographer in the world.

Despite his stellar reputation he remains curious, courteous, respectful and

unpretentious. He is thoughtful and always seems to have the right words to say.

No matter how challenging the framework of a project can be, Katsu

remains professional, calm and focused – making him a favorite among pilots

and companies he works with.

––– SPECIAL PEOPLE –––

Making art in the skyMeeting Katsuhiko Tokunaga, the renowned

aviation air-to-air photographer

BY SANTIAGO RIVAS

Air-to-air photography: Katsuhiko Tokunaga sat in the back of a Bronco OV-10 during a photoshoot in the skies above Mont Blanc (Photo: Vadim Feldzer, Dassault Aviation)

– 19 –– 18 –


Katsu was born in Japan on the 13th of January in 1957. He started his career in air-to-air photography when he was just 21. Since then, he has logged nearly 2,000 flying hours in

different types of fast jets and over 15,000 hours in all kinds of different aircraft. He converted each of those flights into a piece of photographic art. Most of Katsu’s time is dedicated to his passion spending more than 300 days a year traveling the world.

The quality of his photography helped him gain his rep-utation. Giants in the aviation industry continue to seek him out for their projects to this day. Many of these big names are popular aerobatic teams and different in-ternational air forces. Katsu also does photography for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like RUAG,

knows every movement the aircraft will make and the impact that will have on his composition, including the background behind the aircraft he is photographing. One thing that makes the difference in Katsu’s work is that no matter what kind of aerobatics the plane he is in is performing, he composes the image exactly how he wants it and the result is always beautiful. Pilots are amazed at how he can visually prepare for what he will shoot. The Patrouille de France even calls him “One Shot” because they never have to redo a flight sequence as “Katsu One Shot” never misses.

To prepare for the air-to-air photoshoot, he always par-ticipates in the pre-flight briefing and puts together the flying formation in detail as part of the team. He also works with the pilots on how to handle emergency situations.

Air-to-air photographers know how difficult it is to work with heavy cameras and lenses on a plane that’s moving fast and experiencing G-forces in tight turns or during aerobatics. Working with a big and heavy camera inside a tight cockpit is challenging to say the least. Imagine experiencing G-forces, which proportionally changes not just your body weight but also the weight of your

Dassault, Pilatus and more. His photographs have also been published in many international magazines and he has released several books. One of his recent books is called Super Blue 3. Super Blue 3 is the most recent release of his masterpiece series, which began in 1988 with the first Super Blue. Each book contains all of his “best shots”. He also released many other books, like Top Teams, Silver Wings, Hawk Five Team, Rhapsody in Blue, Patrouilles du Monde and Smoke Trails, among others.

As with many artists, Kastu always has in his mind the pictures he wants to create. He meticulously plans how he and the pilots will create a perfect composition while in flight formation. He takes into consideration 360 degrees of perpetual perspective in motion. He

equipment with almost every turn. Now imagine main-taining constant control. Depending on the aircraft, you might be strapped into an ejection seat with the canopy very close to your head, restricting your movements or you might be strapped to the floor of a Dornier 228 with the cargo door wide open, inhaling a lot of fresh air. Just aiming and focusing your lens takes a great amount of effort. Creating success in this kind of at-mosphere also demands that a photographer has a lot of experience and knows what to expect on each flight. This is also important for safety. A piece of photographic equipment coming loose in the cockpit is a scenario best avoided.

Katsu knows that a successful aviation photoshoot re-quires teamwork. One can learn a lot about teamwork and collaboration by watching Katsu at work. In air-to-air photography, success depends on how all partici-pants play their role, from good planning on the ground to staying “on plan” once in the air. At work, Katsu’s attitude creates enthusiasm and confidence among the others that the job will be executed beautifully and safe-ly. Katsu’s vast and extensive experience is invaluable for flight crews who know he would never put them at risk. For Katsu, “Safety comes first.”

Katsu in the PC-7 cockpit with the Dutch Coastguard at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport during the making of RUAG’s Dutch Coastguard movie (www.dornier228.ruag.com).

Katsu participating in a Dutch Coastguard’s preflight briefing at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, rehearsing every movement of the flight plan with the pilots.

– 20 –


For a regular air-to-air photoshoot, there is much prepa-ration needed. Once a storyboard for the film or pho-toshoot is agreed upon, the organization process can be immense. People often have to be flown in from all over, boats, planes and cars have to be organized and all the timing has to be set up to work and correspond exactly to plan. Katsu also needs that various permis-sions for flight formations are obtained in advance and sometimes those can be tricky to get. All in all, it takes a lot of resources to create a successful air-to-air photo-shoot and a good manager who can be flexible, calm, collected and focused when the unexpected happens. And normally, something unexpected always happens and last minute adjustments have to be made.

An air-to-air photoshoot can also entail much more complex and challenging situations because there are so many variables. And these variables can change at any given time. Some of them are for example the availability of aircraft and the weather. Planes and jets can have their landing delayed, get grounded, pilots can get sick and the weather in some countries can be more challenging than in others not to mention political changes and time zone misunderstandings. Sometimes the weather changes before you even leave the pre-flight briefing, causing everything to be delayed again. Or, sometimes once everyone is ready to go, suddenly

an alarm goes off and the pilots need to go on a real mission, once again delaying the photoshoot. When there are changing emergencies, Katsu finds solutions that work for everybody, no matter what the situation is. He has also learned that different cultures work-ing together can be fun but also challenging as not everything means the same in every language. Google translate does not always create understanding and Katsu has so much experience traveling and living in different countries with different cultures that he could teach google a thing or two.

I have learned a lot working with Katsu, about being organized, collaborating and the importance of sticking to a plan. When Katsu goes to work, he focuses on making photographs with the best quality. He wants to give the client more than what they expect and loves going the extra mile. Part of Katsu’s success is that he is extremely open to everybody and always curious to know what people think, not just about aviation but also about other things in life. When Katsu travels, he enjoys learning about local cultures and people. Making art in the sky begins with his thoughts and feelings, which he then translates into planning and perfect execution; a trait that has made him famous for creating beautiful art in the sky. Katsu is an artist who loves his work because for him it isn’t a job but a passion he lives and breathes.

Katsu preparing with a flight crew at Schiphol. Creating a successful air-to-air photoshoot requires teamwork, partnership, collaboration and trust and this is why people choose to work with “One Shot” Katsu.

Aurigny Air Services Dornier 228 pilots taking off in the Channel Islands at Guernsey Airport. Can you guess where Katsu is?

A lifeline over the Amazon

A trip with the Venezuelan Air Force along the course of the Amazon.

Our mission: to provide a vital link between civilization and the indigenous

communities of the Amazon.

––– PASSIONATE PILOTS –––

BY SANTIAGO RIVAS

– 22 –The Grupo 9 crew are very proud of their work helping the indigenous communities. From left: Captain Adrián Escalona, Major Elio Hernández and Lt. Marquez at Parima B on the runway during a flight to support the Yanomami community.

– 24 – – 25 –


We started our day leaving Puerto Ayacucho and made our way to the community of San Juan de Manapiare, a 35-minute flight over beautiful and dense rainforest, mountains and the odd river. “Air transportation has changed our life,” said Tirso Chirino, the head of the local indigenous

community. “Before, it would take us a whole day to get to Puerto Ayacucho by motorboat or three if the boat didn’t have a motor.” For many of these indigenous people, available air transportation means the difference between life and death, as it did on one flight for an indigenous woman who had been bitten by a snake and had to be urgently airlifted out of the area. The Amazon river basin and rainforest are home to such dangerous snakes as the green anaconda, the Guyana blind snake, the toadheaded pit viper, the green racer and the yararanata pit viper.

Air transportation also spells the difference in local education for young people who want to study in the city. In 1979, bilingual education became compulsory. The Pemon Indians can attend bilingual American Indian primary schools for free; however, they face the challenge of getting there. In the past, the Pemon Indians educated their children using an oral storytelling tradition. They are a peaceful people who teach by example and have no word for working because that is just part of daily life. Their stories are told by the elders to teach and hand down their community’s idea of morality and world order to the younger generation. The storyteller often ends the story with “A-pantoní-pe nichii” which means “may you take advantage of this story.”

Amazingly to help meet these challenges, the pilots of the Ninth Transport Group of the Venezuelan Air Force offer a taxi service for free, with top priority being given to medical evacuations, followed by students, doctors, teachers and other civil servants, cargo, and finally, people who need to travel for personal reasons. They are located at the gateway to the Venezuelan Amazon, Puerto Ayacucho. Since 2014, the Venezuelan air force has added two Dornier 228s, which have significantly increased the unit’s capabilities. Founded in 2006, the unit previously operated with four Cessna 208 Grand Caravans and 13 Cessna 206s. This particular unit’s mission, one of the many performed by the Venezuelan Air Force pilots, is extremely challenging yet most rewarding. They provide a vital link between civilization and the small indigenous communities of the Pemon Indians and the Yanomami.

The Pemon Indians live in Bolívar, which is a large state in eastern Venezuela, bordering Brazil and Guyana. The Yanomami are a group of approximately 35,000 indigenous peo-ple who live in some 200–250 villages in the Amazon rainforest on the border between Venezuela and Brazil. The villages where they live are barely visible from the air. These in-digenous groups have inhabited the region for centuries and Venezuela wants to preserve their cultures. In the past and even today, the people often rely on local shamans to provide medical treatments. Getting doctors, school supplies and providing air transportation to the people can be very tricky due to the environment. The people also often have to walk and boat long distances to reach a grass or dirt strip where a plane can land. The arrival of the new Dornier 228s has changed the pilot’s ability to land closer to the villages.

Our mission: the vital link

Top: The Dornier 228 has changed the quality of life for indigenous communities. Bottom left: The Dornier 228 at Puerto Ayacucho after a typical Amazon storm, which happens almost every afternoon.

Bottom right: Medical evacuation mission at Puerto Ayacucho. In these small communities, there are no hospitals. The people have to be airlifted in emergencies.

– 26 – – 27 –


Captain Adrián Escalona, one of the unit’s pilots, loves the Dornier 228’s ability to do short take-offs and landings because it means safer travel for the pilots and their passengers. De-scribing a landing strip situated on a farm in the Platamar community, Group Commander Colonel César Padrón says, “It’s a grass strip, only 800 meters long. I took off in a downpour, on a wet strip that slowed the aircraft down, but I still managed to get airborne with 900 kilograms on board. Later I landed in more torrential rain with higher than normal outdoor temperatures, but I managed to bring the plane to a stop in 500 meters.”

Later, following a 500-kilometer flight over the rainforest, we arrive at Parima B, on the border of Brazil. Here we meet the Yanomami who have beautifully preserved all their ancient customs. They told us it used to take them almost a week to reach the village of La Esmeralda on foot and by river to catch a plane out of the rainforest. Now that the Air Force has planes that can make short take-offs and landings on dirt strips, it can pick them up closer to home, making the journey less dangerous and faster. The air strip to pick up the Yanomami is extremely short in length and situated in the middle of a valley. The chal-lenging landing strip can be an unnerving experience for passengers, but these fears are put to rest as the pilots are able to take off without incident. According to pilot Major Elio Hernández, commander of the unit’s flight squadron 91: “Speed is important when it comes to airlifting someone to safety, where the difference between life and death can be a matter of minutes. Thanks to having a fast and versatile plane, we can medevac them very quickly and also carry medical personnel. On one occa-sion, we took seven people as well as incubators and stretchers plus oxygen, all in a very short space of time.” The pilots not only fly but also help with the loading and unloading of people and cargo. The curious and excited people of the Amazon flock around the pi-lots as they prepare the planes for take-off – their faces lit up with smiles, amazement and perhaps a little uncertainty of what is to come. These pilots of the Ninth Transport Group of the Venezuelan Air Force have a challenging job of providing a lifeline over the Amazon and they do it with passion and pride. Their flights and their skills make a vital difference in the lives of the indigenous communities of the Amazon whose culture and way of life they also help preserve.

The people of Parima B congregate around the Dornier 228 to receive precious cargo. In this particular case, one ton of food and medicine has been delivered. The people now carry the supplies to town on foot.

For the people of the communities, the plane is the only way to reach civilization quickly. Travel by land or river requires many days by foot and/or by boat.

– 28 – – 29 –

The late founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, once famously said,

“Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.”

Great design not only fulfils a function, it also anticipates the needs

of users – and it fits in seamlessly with its environment. But what if that

environment is one of the least hospitable regions on earth?

BY MATTHEW BEATTIE

The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard lies some 1,260 kilometers north of the Arctic Cir-cle and 966 kilometers from the North Pole. For Lufttransport AS, operating passenger and

cargo flights within such a remote region presents some unique challenges and demands the utmost flexibility from crew and aircraft alike. Situated around 800 kilo-meters north of mainland Norway, between the Bar-ents Sea and the Greenland Sea, Svalbard is incredibly remote. There are just five permanent settlements, of which Longyearbyen is the largest with a population of around 2,100. Road and rail links are nonexistent. Everything that comes in must either be transported by air or sea. Lufttransport AS has been keeping these communities – as well as research groups and shipping in the region – connected with the outside world and supplied with essentials since 1976. The company has been flying Dornier 228 aircraft for more than twenty years. For them, the design and flexibility of the Dornier makes it the ideal machine for their operation.

Tom-Are Stølsdokken is Lufttransport’s Base Command-er and a pilot for the Dornier. He has been flying for the company for ten years. “The main advantage of the Dornier is its ability to operate up here,” he says. “Runways are short and unprepared. Then there’s the operational reliability, which is excellent.”

Flexibility and teamworkHowever, one of the most important factors for the crew is the flexibility of the aircraft’s design. They fly both cargo and passengers – often in combination. “It is very important that we can adapt the cabin quickly,” Stølsdokken explains. “With the Dornier it is a very quick fix to change the configuration.” At his home base in Longyearbyen, Stølsdokken is part of a three-man Dornier crew, comprising two pilots and a techni-cian. It is normally the role of the technician to fit and remove seats from the aircraft; however, with pilots flying anything between two and eight operations a day, reconfiguring the cabin is often a team effort to

Designed for duty in the toughest conditions

––– DESIGN DREAM –––

A Lufttransport Dornier 228 flying above the ice of Svalbard. Air transport is a lifeline for the remote communities on the archipelago.

– 30 – – 31 –

save time, “I would say it takes us a maximum of 20 minutes if we all help each other – which we usually do,” says Stølsdokken. “The technician normally re-moves and installs the seats, while we pilots help him by loading them onto the aircraft.” In the case of com-bined cargo and passenger operations, the crew can remove just a few seats, while the rectangular design of the Dornier fuselage allows them to stack cargo and make maximum use of the 14.7 m3 of cabin space and 2.6 m3 baggage compartment.

Stølsdokken and his fellow pilot don’t just play a hands-on role with cabin reconfiguration, “We need to be team players up here,” he says. “Here, we don’t just fly as pilots. We have a lot to do with our passengers and sometimes do check-in. We also load the aircraft with cargo, carry out controls, tow the aircraft in and out of hangar, and take care of refueling – we do pretty much everything.”

Dogs might flyJust as there is no such thing as a typical day for the crew in Longyearbyen, there is no such thing as a typ-ical cargo. The company transports food, equipment and spare parts – everything the remote communities of Svalbard might need. Some of the cargo is even of the four-legged variety; “Dogs are very popular in the arctic, so we frequently fly with stacks of dog crates strapped into the cabin.” One of the regular destina-tions for Stølsdokken and his colleagues is the research community of Ny Ålesund, in the north of Spitsbergen, “We also fly a lot of research equipment and supplies for the mission up there,” he adds.

Hitting the targetBesides transporting cargo and passengers between Svalbard’s three airports, Stølsdokken and his col-leagues are also often called upon to fly ad hoc oper-ations. These can range from airdrops to surveillance work at sea – the waters around Svalbard are popular fishing grounds for trawlers. For both types of oper-ation, the Dornier’s maneuverability, together with its capabilities at low speeds and low altitudes are signif-icant advantages. Landing consignments of supplies in their designated drop zones is an exercise in preci-sion – and teamwork between pilots and an onboard technical specialist. Here too, the flexible design of the Dornier is a significant asset. Airdropping is made possible because one of the Dorniers they operate is adapted to accommodate a roller door that can be opened in flight. The roller door is quickly fitted in place of the large combined passenger and doors at the rear of the cabin, providing a generous 1.34 m by 1.28 m opening through which cargo crates can be easily maneuvered and pushed from the aircraft mid-flight. It is the role of the onboard technician to operate the roller door and coordinate drop positioning with the pilot. Airdropping is often the only way of getting vital supplies where they are needed – such as to ships or remote research stations.

A changing climateYou might expect that operating so close to the North Pole, it would be the cold that presents the biggest challenge to operations; however, Stølsdokken insists that this is not the case. “The climate here in the arctic is changing,” he says. “Previously, winters up here were

very cold, but in recent years temperatures have be-come much higher. We are getting more of the same winter climate that they have on the Norwegian main-land, with snow showers and quite high temperatures. What stops us are low visibility and low ceilings due to clouds or precipitation.”

Climate change and a reduction in sea ice are also hav-ing another effect on the islands. With their traditional hunting grounds diminishing, Svalbard’s polar bear pop-ulation is becoming an increasingly present risk to hu-man residents. “The airport authorities are quite good at keeping polar bears away from the airport,” says Stølsdokken. “During surveillance missions, we always carry a gun on board in case we have to ditch the air-craft on the sea or the ice. Then, of course, you need some protection.”

No ordinary locationFrom November 14th every year, Svalbard is shrouded in perpetual darkness; daylight does not return again until January 21st; between April 20th and August 23rd, the sun never drops below the horizon. Although last January and February were unseasonably warm, winter temperatures generally average minus sixteen degrees centigrade; in summer the mercury rarely rises into double figures, yet for Stølsdokken, Svalbard is a truly special place – remote, but stunning. “In March or April, when the sun returns, we enjoy some beautiful scenery. The landscape is totally snow covered; we might see some wildlife; it is really great.”

––– DESIGN DREAM –––

Lufttransport pilots and ground crew work as a team to prepare the Dornier 228 for its next flight. The STOL capabilities of the aircraft make it ideal for the short, unsurfaced runways of Svalbard.

The Arctic landscape, as seen from the cabin of one of Lufttransport’s two Dornier 228 aircraft. Such an unforgiving environment demands highly skilled

pilots and the utmost reliability from the aircraft.

The combined passenger and cargo doors of the Dornier 228 provide easy access to the load area. The cabin can be adapted quickly and easily to

accommodate passengers and cargo – or a combination of both.

Find out more about Lufttransport AS: www.lufttransport.no

– 32 – – 33 –

Norway – safari through Europe’s unspoiled wilderness

––– TRAVEL –––

From glaciers and snow-capped mountains to the northern lights and

the midnight sun, Norway is a stage for some of nature’s greatest

spectacles. Its pristine landscape, coastline and islands are sanctuaries

for some of Europe’s most exceptional – and toothiest – wildlife.

BY MATTHEW BEATTIE

– 33 –Whales are abundant in the seas around Lofoten and Vesterålen throughout the year. The region is a popular destination both for marine researchers and tourists

hoping to catch a glimpse of these majestic and elusive giants. (Photo: Asgeir Helgestad/Artic Light AS/visitnorway.com)

– 34 – – 35 –


Home to only around 5.2 million people and covering 385,155 square kilometers, Norway is one of Europe’s least populous countries – and one of its last unspoiled wildernesses. Step beyond the country’s charming and

friendly cities, and you find yourself in a peaceful and pristine land-scape of fjords and mountains that has barely changed since it was forged by the last ice age.

Wild NorwayThe solitude and splendor of the Norwegian wilderness is rivaled only by the sheer diversity of the wildlife to be found there. From wolverines and lynx to herds of reindeer and elk, Norway is one of the best locations in Europe to witness nature in all its glory. It is also a place where you will find living natural history. Norway is one of the few places on Earth where you can still find musk oxen – a vestige of the last ice age. By far the best way of seeing wildlife and experiencing the stunning landscape of Norway is to take a nature

safari. Whether you are a keen ornithologist looking to go in search of white-tailed eagles or a passionate whale-watcher, this Scandina-vian nation has a safari to suit every taste and sense of adventure.

Northern lights and polar bearsSvalbard is an archipelago of islands, around 800 kilometers north of the Norwegian mainland and well within the Arctic Circle. It is the world’s most northerly settled area of land. In this frozen and glacial landscape, there is one undisputed king of the natu-ral world: the majestic, beautiful – but also famously lethal and bad-tempered – polar bear. On the largest island of Spitsbergen, polar bears outnumber people and locals stepping beyond the main settlement of Longyearbyen are obliged by law to carry arms to protect themselves from possible bear attacks. The climate is frigid and inhospitable; however, Spitzbergen is one of best places in the world for catching a glimpse of this ferocious but endan-gered predator. Being just 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole,

Bears, wolves and lynx are just some of the wildlife to be found roaming Norway’s unspoiled wilderness. This tame lynx is one of six at Polar Park, an Arctic wildlife centre around an hour to the north of Narvik. (Photo: CH/visitnorway.com)

Rugged mountains look down upon white sands and crystal clear waters at Ramberg beach in Lofoten. The sun never sets during the summer months, when the islands become a paradise for hikers. (Photo: CH/visitnorway.com)

Top left: Huskies pulling a sled across the icy wilderness of Svalbard. In a region with few roads, dogsleds and snowmobiles are essential transportation for the local population. (Photo: Renato Granieri/visitnorway.com)

Top right: Polar bears are more common than people in Svalbard. These formidable predators are increasingly drawn to populated areas, as climate change shrinks their natural hunting grounds on the sea ice. (Photo: Asgeir Helgestad/Artic Light AS/visitnorway.com)

Bottom left: Glaciers continue to sculpt the landscape of Svalbard, as they make their inevitable journey toward the ocean. There is an ethereal quality to the light, as the dark winter months pass into spring. (Photo: Jens Henrik Nybo/visitnorway.com)

Bottom right: Musk oxen are among the more unusual wildlife to be found in Norway. A distant relative of the sheep, it takes its name from the musky odor that male oxen emit during mating season. (Photo: Asgeir Helgestad/Artic Light AS/visitnorway.com)

– 36 – – 37 –


it is also a superb location to witness one of planet Earth’s most spectacular aerial displays: the ethereal, shimmering curtains of green and violet luminescence known as Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights.

Horsepower vs. dog powerRunning between February and May, when the ground is thick with snow, snowmobile safaris are an unforgettable way of expe-riencing the Arctic landscape and glimpsing its wildlife. Under the expertise and protection of your guide, you will speed out across the snow, before stopping on the sea ice for an expedition lunch in the shadows of the mighty Heuglinbreen and Hayesbreen glaciers. See arctic foxes, walruses – and possibly polar bears hunting in their natural environment – as you race across a frozen landscape. Alternatively, why not swap engine power for a more traditional and furry alternative? A dogsled is an exhilarating and unique way of travelling that allows you to truly take in the grandeur of the scenery, as well as to appreciate the lovable and tireless enthusiasm of huskies.

Nature’s lightshowAs night falls across the frozen wilderness, the stage is set for an entirely silent display of a different kind. Set out across the ice on your snowmobile or dogsled, camera in hand, as your guide leads you towards the best vantage points for capturing the eerie and surreal majesty of the Aurora Borealis. Created by solar particles interacting with the earth’s magnetosphere, the Northern Lights are a rare phenomenon south of the Arctic Circle; however, Svalbard’s position close to the North Pole makes it an ideal location to witness this stunning natural light show.

The giants of the oceanAround 1,000 kilometers southwest of Svalbard – but still within the Arctic Circle – the climate becomes less severe and the wildlife less aggressive. The islands of Lofoten and Vesterålen, situated just off the Norwegian mainland offer stunning scenery, attractive fishing villages and a pristine maritime environment. Thanks to the influ-ence of the gulfstream, the weather is warmer and better than one

might expect for such northerly latitudes, whilst the ocean waters team with marine life. As a result, this coastal region of Norway is one of the best places in Europe for seeing cetaceans (whales, dolphins and orcas).

Make a differenceNumerous tour operators in the region offer shorter whale-watch-ing trips, and such is the abundance of whales, your chances of spotting one are about ninety-five percent. However, if you are pas-sionate about whale conservation, you might prefer to experience a truly immersive whale research safari. The Earthwatch Institute offers eight-day packages during which you can become an active member of a cetacean research team. Whales, dolphins and orcas are hugely important to the marine environment, and the success of their populations can provide a valuable insight into the wider health of the planet’s oceans.

There she blows!The safari experience begins with a tour of Andenes and the op-portunity to get to know your fellow researchers. Your time as a researcher begins in earnest on day two, when you will visit a mu-seum to learn about the various species you will be observing and receive training. This newly acquired knowledge is then put to the test, as you take to a boat or climb to the top of Andenes Light-house to scan the fjord for the telltale water spurts and splashes of surfacing whales. You will make observations about behaviors, catalogue species and even have the opportunity to record the sub aquatic clicks of sperm whales communicating with one another. A vital part of the project is identifying individual cetaceans by taking photographs and crosschecking them against an extensive database. This helps the research team to track the movements of cetaceans, thereby enabling them to assess population numbers and the success of different species.

This safari will not only give you a deeper understanding of ceta-ceans, it will also leave you with some incredible memories – and the knowledge that you have made a contribution to the protection of our precious and fragile marine environments.

Experience Norway for yourselfFor more information about Norway, as well as great suggestions for other nature safaris

and unforgettable experiences, visit www.visitnorway.com

Book your Svalbard adventure at www.svalbardbooking.com

Visit www.svalbardhusky.com to discover an array of thrilling dogsled expeditions.

Play your part in protecting cetaceans and preserving our precious marine environments by booking your whale research expedition www.eu.earthwatch.org/expeditions.

The website also offers you the opportunity to fund other research projects by making a donation online.

A white-tailed eagle swoops to catch a fish from the clear waters of a Norwegian fjord. The coast of Norway is home to Europe’s largest population of white-tailed eagles. (Photo: Asgeir Helgestad/Artic Light AS/visitnorway.com)

––– SHOP TALK –––

“Aerodynamically speaking, it’s the best you can get – an amazingly

smooth surface, no edges, nothing.” Anyone joining Thomas Imke for a

visit to the RUAG assembly hall in Oberpfaffenhofen will plainly see this

salesman’s enthusiasm for his product. Imke is talking about the airfoils

of the Dornier 228, and there’s probably no better way to sum it up

than when he says: “The wing makes all the difference.”

BY HENDRIK THIELEMANN

“The wing makes all the difference”

– 39 –

– 40 – – 41 –

––– SHOP TALK –––

At the start, the sheet is some five centimetres thick. A five-axis milling machine manufactures all the necessary ribs and structural reinforcements out of the sheet. The panels produced in this way are even and straight to start with. However, each panel must be bent, and bending an element complete with structural reinforce-ments into the desired shape is anything but easy. “The expertise is in the bending process,” says Imke. The stringers have to be compressed using special hydraulic clamps, the oblong mid-panels can be shaped with machines, and the triangular exterior panels are done by hand. As Imke explains, “This gives us exactly the wing profile that we need.”

Investment pays offThis is a time-consuming and costly process, which explains why the Dornier wing design is more expensive than a conventional design. But in the long run, the investment pays off for the aircraft operator, because the airfoil’s excellent aerodynamics help reduce

A MacBook among airfoilsOne way to describe the wings of the Dornier 228 is as the Mac-Book of airfoils: Just like the housing of the superlative laptop fea-turing the apple with a bite taken out of it, the Dornier 228 airfoil panels and all their structural reinforcements are milled out of a single large aluminium sheet.

Dornier engineers designed the specialized wings of the Dornier 228 as part of a program funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. They took an airfoil devised by specialists at NASA in the U.S. and developed it further into a highly capable wing.

An aircraft wing usually consists of many individual components: bent metal sheets are riveted to a framework of spars, ribs and stringers. In contrast: “The Dornier 228 has a total of just six wing panels plus a couple of stringers,” Imke explains. Each of these six panels is manufactured from a single enormous sheet of aluminium.

drag and therefore fuel burn. The Dornier 228 consumes roughly one third less fuel than comparable aircraft in its class. It’s not only the wing’s special construction, but also its shape that plays a role, as the Dornier’s triangular wings have an advantage over conven-tional rectangular wings. And because the wings are tapered, they function much in the same way as winglets, which can be seen at the tips of the wings on most jets today. This tapering reduces the formation of vortex trails that result from the pressure differential between the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. These in turn increase drag, and thus have a negative impact on the aircraft’s performance and fuel efficiency.

Less fuel consumption automatically means greater range, longer flight times and increased payload. What’s more, its outstanding aerodynamics enable the Dornier 228 to take off and land on particularly short runways: even fully laden, a Dornier 228 needs less than 800 metres to take off at sea level. These characteristics

make the Dornier a versatile aircraft for special missions, as well as passenger and cargo operations – especially in regions with poor infrastructure.

Aerodynamically solidThe wings of a Dornier 228 not only ensure the necessary perfor-mance and optimum controllability but also serve as the aircraft’s fuel tanks: “The largest part of the wing is wet,” Imke explains. This means it is sealed from the inside, so the airfoil interior can be directly filled up with kerosene – without requiring an additional inner lining or rubber bladder, as in helicopters, for example. Here, too, the wing’s special construction offers certain benefits: because it consists of far fewer components and has hardly any joints or rivets, it is much easier to seal the wing and significantly lower the risk of fuel leaks, thus improving the reliability of the aircraft.

– 42 – – 43 –

––– THE LOVEDORNIER228 MAGAZINE TEAM –––

Rachel Gisiger – Concept creation and publishingCreating new and exciting methods for connecting to customers and engaging in meaningful dialogue with them motivates Rachel Gisiger. In her strategic leadership position at RUAG Aviation, she continues to follow this passion, building upon her professional marketing degrees, and is a key driving force for marketing and communications across the company. Rachel serves in a pivotal position dedicated to serving the international Dornier 228 community and is particularly proud of creating and publishing this magazine on their behalf.

Christine Anne Berger – Editor in Chief, Writer“Telling someone’s story requires understanding the narrative from multiple perspectives.” Christine Anne has a Masters of Fine Arts from UTSA and a Masters of Education from UWS. Christine tells stories using a variety of communication techniques from visual images to the written word. When she isn’t directing and consulting, she spends time in her artist studio and garden or goes hiking, while pondering new approaches, new questions and new challenges.

Lois Guchu – WriterLois Guchu is a long-time freelance writer and editor living in Kenya, East Africa. Her articles have been featured in USA Today, the Houston Chronicle, and the Arizona Republic. As a member of Friends of Nairobi National Park, she enjoys dedicating her free time to activities that promote the protection and conservation of Kenya’s game parks and wildlife. Lois studied fine arts, anthropology, and journalism at the University of Texas San Antonio.

Santiago Rivas – WriterSantiago resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his two sons and daughter. He studied journalism at the Argentine Catholic University and has since then been published all around the world. Santiago specializes in Latin American aviation and defense matters. His genre of work includes both historic and contemporary projects. Santiago also manages one of the main defense and aviation archives in Argentina, providing material for more than 40 international magazines.

Hendrik Thielemann – WriterHendrik Thielemann studied communications and worked as a journalist for several years before he decided to move to the other side of the desk and became a corporate communications manager. From 2001 until 2016 he worked in the aerospace industry. At the beginning of 2017, he founded the Zurich-based communication agency E2C (www.e2c.ch). E2C focuses on corporate content and outsourced communication management primarily in the sector of aerospace and engineering.

Matthew Beattie – WriterOriginally from Leeds, England, Matthew Beattie is a graduate of the Schule für Angewandte Linguistik in Zurich, where he studied journalism and lan-guages. His articles have been published in the UK, the U.S.A. and in Eu-rope. Matthew has spent much of his career in Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg. He now lives in the Yorkshire Dales, where he works as a freelance journalist and translator. When he isn’t writing or traveling, he enjoys cooking, hiking and choral singing.

Publisher | RUAG Aviation, Seetalstrasse 175, 6032 Emmen, Switzerland | Design and Layout | Amstutz Partners AG, Lucerne, SwitzerlandPhotos | Katsuhiko Tokunaga: Page 1, 21, 29–31, 40 | Getty Images: Page 4 | Urs Mattle: Page 18–20 | Santiago Rivas: –27 | Alan Carmichael/Capricorn Photography: Page 42 (M. Beattie)

© Copyright 2018 RUAG Aviation. All rights reserved. No part of these texts and images may be reprinted, reproduced or used in any form without the express permission of RUAG Aviation.Printed on FSC certified paper.

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––– THE DORNIER 228 CUSTOMER SUPPORT TEAM –––

Technical SupportTel.: +49 8153 30 2280Fax: +49 8153 30 3030

[email protected]

RUAG Aerospace Services GmbH | RUAG Aviation P.O. Box 1253 | Special Airfield Oberpfaffenhofen | 82231 Wessling | Germany

www.dornier228.com

Material SupportTel.: +49 8153 30 2281Fax: +49 8153 30 4633

[email protected]

www.dornier228.com

“Those who see the world through the lens of love are the true visionaries.” BRYANT H. MCGILL, AMERICAN AUTHOR

2018 february - love dornier 228...chimps as south sudan is a conflict-ridden area, which is why we...

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