Photographic Memories
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The turn of the century marked many flying events and a memorable air display organized by the Swiss Aero Club at the Swiss Air Force Base in Dübendorf. Later that Year my 60th birthday had been celebrated in a unusual grand style at home. My friend Al Minich, airline Captain with Midwest Express, came once again on visit and we shared a couple of memorable moments with Swiss Railroads together.
During summer 2001 all members of our technical training school met for a seminary with our new manager: Roland Maag in Bassersdorf, at the Swissair leisure and sports center. Swissair held bilateral talks with the EU concerning equal traffic rights. Sabena’s earnings start to drop sharply, thousands of jobs are at risk. Swissair’s last grand old Jumbo fleet were disappearing. On October 02. 2001 dozens of aircraft stood grounded at Zurich Unique airport. Swissair Flights could not take off due to the simple lack of cash flow. 01.31.2002 a new phoenix had a reluctant start from the ashes: SWISS its name should be and an expensive dull livery it sports, resembling an ambulance airline ! Meanwhile the parent company flew until its official last flight on March 31st 2002 – after that one of the worlds greatest airlines, Swissair is no more! SRTechnics survived, although some 800 jobs had to be cut and in our technical training school we were lucky enough to have found customers abroad like: Lufthansa- technical training, JMC/Thomas Cook Airlines among others, helping us to keep our standards.
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2000... ... Zurich airport is a building site despite of dark clouds at the financial horizon. Dübendorf has an exceptional air display celebrating the AeCS 50th anniversary.  On November 17. I celebrated my 60th birthday with a few very good friends at my home.
2001... This Year marked the end of the 747-300 operation and also first rumors of a financial crisis from Balsberg. The terrorist attack on the WTC in NYC struck all airlines but broke our company’s back completely, leading to the grounding of Swissair’s entire fleet in October.
2002... A demonstration march should prove our solidarity with the last CEO : Mario Corti who tried save the swissair-ship, although it failed as the banks blocked the credit. So I worked more for Lufthansa Technik while Swissair disappeared into the museum.
2003... A-330 Level-3- type rating courses were conducted in the UK: LGW and MAN, whereas OJT had been accomplished in Zurich… last of the many, just before my retirement in November, means: out of the overalls and settling back in a museum or a peaceful place like “Blankenese” !
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