THE arrival of a large aircraft was announced by the pentagon-shaped air traffic control (ATC) tower. The Qantas Boeing 707 from London had just landed at Kemayoran Airport in 1968. "Kemajoran tower to Golf Tango Fox: proceed to runway for takeoff," was the announcement. Soon after, the door of the red-striped aircraft opened. A man with a thick beard and a sailor's cap emerged from the plane and shouted out a string of salty words.

"Blistering barnac