Aviation Confessions: The Inside Story of Turkish Civil Aviation - 1 (Paragraf Books)

“The most valuable weapon of the future, without a doubt, will be airplanes. One day, humanity will soar the skies without planes, travel to other planets, and perhaps even receive messages from the Moon. There will be no need to wait until the year 2000 for this miracle to happen. Advancing technology already heralds this future for us. Our duty is to ensure that we do not fall behind the West in this regard.”- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk1936, Eskişehir AirfieldThe journey of Oktay Erdağı, a key figure in Turkish Civil Aviation with hands-on expertise, began in 1976 when he joined the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications. After serving as chief, expert, and branch manager in various departments within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, he successively led the Air Transportation, Air Study and Planning, Flight Standards, and Air Navigation departments for multiple terms. In 2006, he was appointed deputy director general. He also contributed as a member of the National Civil Aviation Security Board, the Education, Research, and Inspection Experts Board, and the Review Commission established for granting Operation and Business Certificates (AOC) to airports and aviation enterprises. Erdağı received specialized training at George Washington University, the FAA Academy, the European Civil Aviation Security Institute (ECAC EASTI), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in aviation safety, security, and crisis management. He published numerous articles on aviation in various journals and newspapers. A graduate of the 47th term of the National Security Academy, he retired in 2008 after 32 years in public service. This work, through Erdağı’s memoirs, chronicles the efforts toward institutionalizing Turkish Civil Aviation—foundations laid by the visionary Atatürk in the early Republic. It outlines the industry’s development stages, hurdles encountered, unfair and destructive competition between state and private sectors, the guardianship attempted over the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and the invaluable contributions of Oktay Erdağı, who witnessed and fought these struggles with relentless dedication. His insights into the future of Turkish Civil Aviation will illuminate the industry moving forward. Furthermore, Erdağı’s humorous style while “preaching in the air” makes this important work engaging. Readers will be fascinated by the antics of characters like Spinner, Kubidik, Prince, the Cowboy, and the Teacher. Read more