CONVERGENCE SEPT-OCT 2017

Aviatricks
& Treats
The [F]light Side
In this issue, let us treat you to several fun facts
on royalties around the world and how they redefine
the jet-setting lifestyles of the rich and famous!
Heirs to the Throne!
The British royal family follows a protocol that states
two heirs of the throne should never fly on the same
flight together so that the royal lineage is protected.
However, Prince William has been breaking this tradition
since his children were born and has travelled with
them together with his wife and Duchess of Cambridge,
Kate Middleton. Previous generations of the Royal
Family, including the Queen, carried out tours without
their children who were left behind with governesses.
Brunei's Royal Pilot
Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is no stranger
when it comes to owning luxurious items. But,
did you know that the 71-year-old is also a
licensed pilot? In 2013, the Sultan piloted his own
Boeing 747 aircraft to meet former US President
Barack Obama making him quite possibly the
only head of state in the world to have piloted
his own plane to meet another head of state!
King's part-time Gig
The King of the Netherlands has another job he is
passionate about and he has been doing it for 21
years. In a recent interview this year with a Dutch
newspaper, King Willem-Alexander revealed that he
has been a co-pilot on passenger and government
aircraft! Having acceded to the throne in 2013, the
avid plane enthusiast has no intention of stopping
this profession and intends to learn how to fly other
aircraft too!
The real Maverick
Jordan's King Abdullah II may be the head
of a constitutional monarchy but that does
not stop him from being a career soldier
and pilot. The 55-year-old was once a
student at the UK's
Royal Military
Academy at Sandhurst
in 1980 and went on to
become an elite Cobra
attack helicopter pilot.
In November 1993,
then a Prince, he
became Jordan's
commander of special
forces and has since
clocked in 35 years of
military service. Move
aside, Tom Cruise!
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