For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight.

Richard BACH, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

About

Ever since he was a child, flying back and forth between Brussels and Kinshasa, Willy Oliva has had a passion for aviation. He would then spend his free time building aeronautical models.

At the age of 12, he was deeply influenced by Richard Bach’s book Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, a work that reinforced his love of flying and inspired him throughout his career.

At the age of 15, he began flying military gliders with the Belgian Air Cadets before obtaining his private pilot’s licence with the Royal Tournai Air Club.

In 1980, he joined the Belgian Air Force as an auxiliary military pilot, making his first solo flight on an Alpha Jet at the age of 20. He then continued his career in the civilian sector, becoming first officer with DHL Airlines in 1986. At the age of 28, he was promoted to captain, first on the Convair 580 and then on the Boeing 727. He also taught flying at SHAPE at the Chievres air base.

After accumulating 10 years’ experience in cargo and the transport of dangerous goods, he diversified his career by turning to passenger transport (Swiss Airlines, Volotea, Avion Express, TUI, etc.), air rescue (Luxembourg Air Rescue) and business aviation (Abelag, Jet Aviation, Dunview ltd). He also had the honour of operating for 4 years as private captain for His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed al-Zaki Yamani of Saudi Arabia on a privatised Boeing Super 27.

Over the course of his career, he has flown a wide range of aircrafts: Convair 580, Boeing 717, 727-100 and 727-200, Boeing 737 classic and NG, Boeing Super 27, Embraer 135 and 145, Airbus A319, A320 and A321, as well as Gulfstream and Learjet 25, 35 and 45.

Alongside his duties as captain, Willy Oliva shares his passion for aviation as an instructor. He delivers private pilot and commercial pilot courses, motivating young people to choose a career in aviation. He teaches instrument flying and the piloting of airliners such as the Airbus 320.

Deeply interested in new technologies, he is also a qualified drone pilot in categories Open A1-A2-A3, Specific and SORA.