Treasurer
With a wealth of enthusiasm, Ap van de Kraats worked as a pilot for KLM for 33 years. The first 7 years as a co-pilot on the DC9 and then as captain on the DC9, B737, A310 and since 1994, the B747-400. This enthusiasm was large enough to continue his career after his retirement in 2011. He took the chance offered, to continue his career with Korean Air.
Ap: “In this ‘after career’ I was more than happy: new destinations, the intercourse with new people, new cultures etc. Very intense, but in one word amazing! Unfortunately mid 2014 this was ended abruptly, after I suddenly got several serious physical disabilities, like a sudden hearing loss, several neurological disorders and extreme fatigue. That was the end of my flying career and the start of a difficult period with lots of doctor appointments, getting to accept my limitations and searching for possible causes. And of course for solutions, if at all possible…..”
“After a tip from a colleague, I discovered the cause of my disorders pretty soon: for years the air on board appears
to have been contaminated with Organo Phosphates, severe toxins, which damage the nerve system. Even very low doses can ‘pile up’ in the body until they reach a certain level and then suddenly cause this type of disorders.”
“I came in contact with people who helped me a lot to regain my health with proper guidance, food supplements and therapies, like Neurofeedback and Raymedy. These gave me good results, and daily life became a lot more ‘normal” again. Flying, even as a passenger, is out of the question at the time (unless it would be in a B787 Dreamliner, which is not using the Bleed Air system). Hopefully more Bleed Free Aircraft will be available in the near future.”
“I personally experienced how important it is to have the right information passed on and bring in essential help.
This is exactly the aim of Stichting Fly Aware! With my contribution to this foundation I hope to help others to get going again, too.”