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guido potters
guido potters
About the book:
The Democratic Republic of Congo—Africa’s only nation split by two time zones—is a country so vast and road-poor that, unless you’re ready to travel like Livingstone, the only real way in or out is by air. After Laurent Kabila succeeded Mobutu Sese Seko in 1998, the aviation sector had to claw its way back from near-collapse. With little international support, Congolese operators were left to improvise. Crews from the former Soviet Union flew Antonovs and Let turboprops deep into the interior, often with expired Certificates of Airworthiness. Out-of-retirement Boeing and McDonnell Douglas jetliners lumbered back into service, ferrying people and cargo to some of the world’s most remote and unforgiving airstrips.
Western pilots looking for adventure—or something more dangerous—joined a small, tight-knit band of Congolese aviators. In 2006, the skies were a surreal patchwork: Soviet freighters, weathered American jets, rare types from forgotten corners of aviation. Landings were often on ragged strips, hemmed in by jungle or guarded by men with rifles. By 2012, much of that strange fleet was gone; operators folded, Antonovs grounded, and too many aircraft ended their stories in the wreckage of accidents. Others were simply abandoned, their carcasses slowly being reclaimed by grass, moss and mould at the edges of forgotten airfields.
This book, part of a series on African aviation, captures that fleeting era through the lens of Guido Potters, whose exclusive photographs—taken between 2005 and 2012—and spans 304 pages across 13 chapters. One chapter ventures across the River Congo into neighbouring Brazzaville. Rich in rare and elusive aircraft, this volume will appeal to enthusiasts of exotic aviation, followers of African air transport, and those drawn to flying off the beaten path. Detailed type-and-registration cross-references make it a valuable resource for researchers and aviation historians alike.
About the author (bio):On a day in July 1977, Guido Potters (1970) embarked on a journey from Brussels to Annaba, Algeria, with a transfer in Geneva. That very day, he instantly fell in love with both aviation and Africa. After spending several formative years on the continent, he returned to his native Netherlands, where his interest in aviation deepened further. He pursued a degree in Industrial Design Engineering and briefly studied journalism.
After a career spanning both the commercial and governmental sectors, he chose to take a different path and applied to work with the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières. In January 2005, he returned to Africa—this time in a professional capacity. Whenever possible, he carefully used his camera to document aircraft in their natural environments. Over the years, his role in air operations deepened, leading him to work across various locations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Mali, and South Sudan.
He founded Aerodynamix Consultancy, a sole proprietorship specialising in the design of passenger briefing cards and promotional materials, as well as the redesign of air operations manuals and other aviation documentation.
In 2018, he returned to Europe and began working as a lecturer in the Technical Department of a University of Applied Sciences.Aside from his passion for aviation, he is an avid fan of distorted guitars, ‘80s synthpop, and Congolese Rumba. He is happily married and has two wonderful sons.
The Democratic Republic of Congo—Africa’s only nation split by two time zones—is a country so vast and road-poor that, unless you’re ready to travel like Livingstone, the only real way in or out is by air. After Laurent Kabila succeeded Mobutu Sese Seko in 1998, the aviation sector had to claw its way back from near-collapse. With little international support, Congolese operators were left to improvise. Crews from the former Soviet Union flew Antonovs and Let turboprops deep into the interior, often with expired Certificates of Airworthiness. Out-of-retirement Boeing and McDonnell Douglas jetliners lumbered back into service, ferrying people and cargo to some of the world’s most remote and unforgiving airstrips.
Western pilots looking for adventure—or something more dangerous—joined a small, tight-knit band of Congolese aviators. In 2006, the skies were a surreal patchwork: Soviet freighters, weathered American jets, rare types from forgotten corners of aviation. Landings were often on ragged strips, hemmed in by jungle or guarded by men with rifles. By 2012, much of that strange fleet was gone; operators folded, Antonovs grounded, and too many aircraft ended their stories in the wreckage of accidents. Others were simply abandoned, their carcasses slowly being reclaimed by grass, moss and mould at the edges of forgotten airfields.
This book, part of a series on African aviation, captures that fleeting era through the lens of Guido Potters, whose exclusive photographs—taken between 2005 and 2012—and spans 304 pages across 13 chapters. One chapter ventures across the River Congo into neighbouring Brazzaville. Rich in rare and elusive aircraft, this volume will appeal to enthusiasts of exotic aviation, followers of African air transport, and those drawn to flying off the beaten path. Detailed type-and-registration cross-references make it a valuable resource for researchers and aviation historians alike.
About the author (bio):On a day in July 1977, Guido Potters (1970) embarked on a journey from Brussels to Annaba, Algeria, with a transfer in Geneva. That very day, he instantly fell in love with both aviation and Africa. After spending several formative years on the continent, he returned to his native Netherlands, where his interest in aviation deepened further. He pursued a degree in Industrial Design Engineering and briefly studied journalism.
After a career spanning both the commercial and governmental sectors, he chose to take a different path and applied to work with the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières. In January 2005, he returned to Africa—this time in a professional capacity. Whenever possible, he carefully used his camera to document aircraft in their natural environments. Over the years, his role in air operations deepened, leading him to work across various locations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Mali, and South Sudan.
He founded Aerodynamix Consultancy, a sole proprietorship specialising in the design of passenger briefing cards and promotional materials, as well as the redesign of air operations manuals and other aviation documentation.
In 2018, he returned to Europe and began working as a lecturer in the Technical Department of a University of Applied Sciences.Aside from his passion for aviation, he is an avid fan of distorted guitars, ‘80s synthpop, and Congolese Rumba. He is happily married and has two wonderful sons.
Aeronauts Bookshop
Aeronauts Bookshop
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MASDC SLIDES DUTCH CONVENTION
MASDC SLIDES DUTCH CONVENTION
For Kodachrome Military Aircraft Slide Collectors & Enthusiasts: Trading and Convention Hub.
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THE AVIATION COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION
notam books
notam books
A great place for aviation books !
NotamBooks is a site for aviationbook enthusiasts, made by aviationbook enthusiasts. From the Netherlands, NotamBooks sells good quality aviationbooks and -memorabilia worth collecting. Online and at aviationfairs.
https://www.notambooks.com/
NotamBooks is a site for aviationbook enthusiasts, made by aviationbook enthusiasts. From the Netherlands, NotamBooks sells good quality aviationbooks and -memorabilia worth collecting. Online and at aviationfairs.
https://www.notambooks.com/
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