I reached level 41 last week; another milestone in the game of life. This year, I managed to spend a wonderful weekend with my family and close friends, creating memories I will always treasure. As I grow older, I find myself valuing these moments ever more

Reflecting on my journey, it feels like just yesterday that I was a fresh-faced student in flight school. Those three years felt like an eternity, but my career since then has flown by at an incredible pace. Each trip begins the moment I pack my suitcase and step out the door, transforming from Christiaan, the everyday man (doing groceries, washing the bird-poop from his car and taking his mom for dinner once in a while), into Christiaan the Captain (making split-second decisions and pulling rank when needed).

Just last week I was flying into Hong Kong on a stormy day, flying a heavy jet across the South Chinese Sea. The wind-shear and updrafts turned the Boeing 747-400 like a leaf in the wind. The wind and turbulence unforgiving, while my co-pilot and I navigated through this with precision and calm, relying on our thorough training and intuition. Breaking through the storm we saw the runway ahead of us just in time. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love what I do.

Forty-one years old... a time to ponder life's twists and turns. Each decision, each fork in the road, has led me here. I'm grateful for the lessons learned and the adventures experienced. It’s not about looking back with regret, but appreciating the journey and the growth it has brought.

Easier said than done.

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As I do the pre-flight inspection of 'my' Boeing 747-400 on the apron of Dubai Airport, the heat of the day still lingers, radiating from the asphalt beneath my feet.
This moment of reflection takes me back to my first solo flight in an AG-5B Tiger, when my instructor stepped out. That defining moment, late 2000, flying solo for the first time, was exhilarating and unforgettable. Fast forward 23 years, and here I am, still soaring, still dreaming, and still reaching for new heights.

The sky is not the limit.