FEBRUARY 1990 'AIRPORTS INTO THE 21st CENTURY' HONG KONG
As the ATM expert for GEC Marconi, I was sent to Hong Kong to speak at the Conference @Airports into the 21st Century. I was setup to give a presentation on how GEC Marconi could project manage the installation and commissioning of Air Traffic Management systems anywhere in the world. I was given a slot in the programme just after lunch, and I remember the hall was almost empty!
But I had ample opportunity of looking round Hong Kong,
October 1989 AECMA Assembly West Berlin and East Berlin
This was a unique occasion, as it took place just before the Berlin Wall came down. We were not aware of this, so we visited both West and East Berlin. We had a coach to take us to East Berlin, and I remember the East Berlin police came into the coach to check our passports. A deathly hush descended, and after they left, we said to one another 'how long do you think it will be before the Wall comes down?' little did we know that discussions were going on at that very time, and the Wall would come down within a month! The photo of me in front of the Wall was a once in a lifetime shot! So was the Checkpoint Charlie pic! Note the picture of memorials to people who had been shot whilst trying to escape over the Wall..
We had a nice trip on a steamer across a lake for lunch. It was a cushy number - but we did do some work, as it was the Annual Assembly of the organisation representing all European Aerospace Companies!
These pics illustrate the Eat Berlin part of the visii, showing me in frnt of the Wall, memorials to those who tries to escape over the Wall, and were shot, going through Checkpoint Charlie ( the gateway from West to East Berlin), the Brandenburg Gate from the East, Flags in windows to celebrate the Anniversary of the DDR (German Democratic Republic) and a pic of our Guide while we were in East Berlin. It was a different world!
Now the relaxed part of the visit - a lnnchtime trip on a steamer
Eurocae is a European Civil Aviation Committee responsible for developing documents such as technical standards for Civil Aviation. They held a meeting in Rome, which for some reason I was attending on behalf of GEC Marconi. We did actually hold meetings, but the pictures show that we had a good sight seeing round Rome, visiting the Spanish Steps (I read recently that you can get a fine of 400 Euros for sitting on the steps!), also the Colosseum .and St.Peter's Basilica, including climbing to the top of the cupula! Wonderful view of the city - I doubt whether I could do it now!
Summer 1986 A new phase of my work for Marconi - European Air Traffic Management.
I was appointed Chairman of the Air Traffic Management Committee of AECMA ( Association Europeene des Constructeurs de Materiel Aerospatial) a bit of a mouthful, but an introduction to a new world of ATM systems throughout Europe. This was through the involvement of Jean Louis Jamet, the Secretary of AECMA - a very powerful but pleasant man, based in Paris.
The first activity - according to my notes- was a visit to Paris for a meeting of FANS - the Future Air Navigation System, This was an International Committee, with a European version known as FEATS - the Future European Air Traffic System. I went to FEATS 1 through 4, which gave me a lot of travel to European cities, and opportunities to meet some very nice people, as I will explain!
Here are pictures of FANS Paris in Summer 1986.
Notable members of the Committee were Mike Stevens of Cossor, the designer of their SSR Large Vertical Aperture (LVA) antenna - a competitor of Marconi, and also Dr. Bernard O'Kane. Bernard had been in a senior position in GEC Marconi, but now, like me, he was heading for retirement and so was in this marketing role.(So I surmised!) We got on very well, and the food was good!
14th August 1982 Wedding of Andrew and Ruth, Bethany Hall, Finaghy, Northern Ireland.
Joyce and I went over to Northern Ireland, with Sandy and Mandy.
