Erik did glider flying in high school and went along with KNVvL camps. There he is infected with the aviation virus. After his military service with the Army, he decided to follow flight training in Texas, USA. Adopted in 1980 at the Naval Aviation Service (MLD) of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Via a shortened Naval flight training on the RLS (Bonanza and Citation) and the 334 squadron at Soesterberg Air Force Base (F-27 Troopship) to Naval Air Station Valkenburg where the training for the SP-13a Breguet Atlantic was followed at squadrons 2 and 321. After a year he switched to the then newly arrived P3C Orion on VSQ 320. On that type he became first pilot (captain), mission commander, instructor/examiner and demo pilot. Switched to civil aviation in 1987 where he flew A-310, Fokker 100 and B767. He is currently captain of 747-400. He has not been able to let go of teaching and examining these types either. When the opportunity arose to fly Yak-52, he did not hesitate for a moment and fulfilled a dream.
