Those who have met Theo van de Ven of KLM will remember him as a gentle guy who nevertheless knows full well what he is about. Always ready to help and to explain things he is the ultimate teacher who is always remembered by his pupils and colleagues alike.
He is currently working at KLM’s ATM Strategy and Charges department which is a part of Flight Ops in Amsterdam.
18 November Theo was giving a presentation to the CROS (Schiphol Regional Coordination Commission) and when he finished, to his huge surprised, the Mayor of Haarlemmermeer, acting on behalf of the Queen, elevated him to the title of Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau. He was awarded this honor for his extraordinary contribution to the progress of aeronautical navigation.
Theo lay the basis for many a navigation procedure some twenty years ago, among them the constant radius turn, which are in daily use to-day.
His efforts to enable aircraft to fly more precisely were of especial significance at an airport like Amsterdam-Schiphol with its constant noise problems arising from the close proximity of villages around the airport. Theo was instrumental in bringing such procedures down from the mountains to below-sea level Schiphol and this successful work has in the meantime triggered the interest of other countries as well.
I am not sure how many Knights there are in the world who got their title for their merit in aviation but one thing is sure: Theo deserved his for sure.
We congratulate the new Knight of Orange Nassau from the bottom of our hearts!
Couldn’t happen to a nicer fellow! Congratulations, Sir Theo.
Congratulations Theo! (As long as you don’t start saying “nii” all the time) 😉
It happened last Friday that Sir Theo was in my car driving back from EASA office in Koeln to Amsterdam. The reason of our visit to EASA was to express the airlines concerns to obtain airworthiness and operationial approval by the NAA for BaroVNAV operations as layed down in AMC 20-27 (official version of Dec 2009).
It happily stroke me again that Sir Theo was showing his detailed knowledge of navigation procedures, their background, the nav evolution process all seen from a clear and thorough operational point of view (read pilot and airline).
It was sad to note that all of this precious expertise appears to be scarsely available within the Regulatory offices and this will hamper progress considerably in the implementation of the SESAR and ICAO spoonsored PBN.
Sir Theo should deserve a statue as well…