Cultural navigation – as important as technical navigation
In strictly religious countries, it was never enough to explain an incident in purely formal terms. When an exhausted crew unintentionally crossed a cultural line after a long flight and the situation began to escalate, the key question was not who was “right”, but how to:
- calm the situation quickly,
- rebuild trust,
- and find a solution that allows all sides to save face.
The fact that I appeared as a German – and not as an American – in many countries of the Arab and Central African aviation world was a real advantage. I was often seen there as a natural counterpart: someone whose appearance is respectful, culturally aware and personally reliable. In these regions, trust is the real operational key.
Diplomacy in aviation – when transactions become political
Some assignments had very little to do with routine operations. One example was the discreet transfer of an older Boeing 707 to the head of state of a Central African country. Strictly speaking, this transaction should hardly have been possible: the person was on international embargo and sanctions lists, was not allowed to enter the United States and officially could not conduct business with Western companies.
How the handover nonetheless took place in a legally sound, diplomatically sustainable and publicly frictionless way remains unsaid even decades later. What matters is this: solutions of that kind do not come from a manual, but from personal relationships, cultural understanding and diplomatic precision work.
The navigational transfer of the aircraft along the classic South Atlantic route – from New York via Fernando de Noronha and Dakar to a major international airport in Central Africa – was almost the simple part of the mission. Providing the navigational backup for the INS was part of my role. The real challenge lay in the diplomatic framework, not in the flying.
Diplomacy as an operational capability in aviation
Conflicts in aviation rarely escalate because of technology; they escalate because of communication failures, cultural misperceptions or disregard for local expectations. In that environment, diplomatic competence means:
- communicating with cultural precision,
- preventing escalation before it develops,
- conducting negotiations in a way that allows all sides to save face,
- and staying calm and solution-focused under pressure.
This combination of navigation, diplomacy and crisis intelligence still shapes my work today – whether with airlines, airports, manufacturers or in dealings with authorities.
What clients gain from this today
Many aviation-related crises have a cultural, personal or political dimension that cannot be resolved by legal means alone. Clients benefit from the fact that I:
- am well connected and personally trusted in the Arab and Central African aviation world,
- have access to decision-makers that others cannot reach,
- can de-escalate situations without causing loss of face,
- and can often resolve conflicts diplomatically before they turn into legal disputes.
In short: I navigate difficult terrain – technically, culturally and diplomatically.