His dream of becoming an engineer started way back since childhood. Although he did not have any dream of becoming an aerodrome engineer but life gave it to him. He still holds his dream of becoming a civil engineer one day after he has retired from airports to fulfill his heart’s desire.
By Irene Lamunu
Engineer Simon Mone was born in Mulago Hospital in 1980 to Mr. Obalim Mickie (RIP) and Mrs. Ataro Aida. Simon was bred in both Kampala and Gulu. He went to Negri Primary School in Gulu for his Primary education, starting in 1987 to 1993. In 1994, he was admitted to St. Joseph’s College, Layibi to begin his Ordinary Level studies and in 1997, he sat his Ordinary Level exams, which qualified him to go to Caltec Academy for senior five. He later moved to Kololo S.S. in 1998, a school he stayed in until 2000 when he completed his Advanced level exams.
One interesting fact about Simon was that he loved engineering as a child because he had a mentor with him. His father was a mechanical engineer and during his Primary seven vacation, he would help his dad in the workshop. That inspired him and kept his hopes high. He promised he would also become an engineer one day.
“In my Primary 7 vacation, I spent a lot of time in Dad’s workshop. When I went to Secondary School, I had already set out my goal to be an engineer,” said Eng. Simon Mone, an aerodrome engineer working in Maldives. Mone was admitted to Makerere University in 2001 to study Civil engineering, a course he had dreamt about all his life. In 2005, Simon completed his course and was awarded a BSc in Civil Engineering.
Simon began his engineering career at the Lutheran World Federation from 2008 until 2010. In July 2010, his new employer, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), introduced him to the aerodrome. His first assignment placed him as an Aerodrome inspector for seven years until June 2017. During this time, his job description was facilitating aircraft arrival, departure and movement on the runway, taxiway and Apron and packing of aircraft.
In July 2017, Eng. Simon got a promotion and he became the principal of Aerodrome inspectors. He was supervising five aerodrome inspectors. He held this position for three years. From Jan 2021 to May 2022, Eng. Simon decided he had had enough of aircraft and moved to Uganda Petroleum Authority, where he worked as a senior safety engineer. At that time, Simon was faced with many family challenges; his dad fell ill and he needed time to be close to him and to take care of him; so he resigned from his job.
He had been jobless for some time. Fortunately, the New Year came with blessings. Since he had experience in Aerodromes with the training he had received at CAA, he got a job at Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited in Lugazi (SCOUL) to design and construct the airfield. He willingly took up the job, thus, returning to Aerodrome Engineering.
In Lugazi, Simon designed the airfield. He helped in its supervision and construction. He also obtained an aerodrome license for the completed airfield. Once his project in SCOUL ended in Jan 2024, Simon applied for a job as an Aerodrome consultant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (COSCAP) based in the Maldives. This consultancy supports seven states of South Asia including; Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri-Lanka & Pakistan. His job as an Aerodrome consultant in the Maldives entails assessing the standard of aerodromes, regulating the number of aerodromes in the countries where the project is running, ensuring that the Aerodrome Act of Parliament in each member state is followed and obtaining aerodrome inspectors and electrical engineering.
It’s interesting how a civil engineer turned into an Aerodrome Engineer. Simon said that when he joined the Civil Aviation Authority, he was required to enroll in Aerodrome courses. He acquired a diploma in Airport engineering from Singapore Aviation Academy and also got trained on the job to qualify for the competency course. He added that it took him 10 years to complete his training in Aerodrome Management.
Simon holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, of Makerere University, from 2011 to 2013. He majored in construction. For the many years he has worked in different international airports, Eng. Mone revealed that he has not had many problems working in big Airports. He noted that, after his project in the Maldives ended, he did not have any plans of moving to any other airport, because there was nothing new from the airports he had worked in. His dream is to return home to his first love, civil engineering.
Simon wants to return home and become a consultant in Civil Engineering because the prospect of an Aerodrome is not a big deal in Uganda at the moment. He is proud to have been involved in redesigning many of the airfields in the country. He has been involved in the construction of runways and terminal buildings across Uganda, starting with the rehabilitating of Entebbe International Airport and, the rehabilitation of Kayunga Green Field, Lugazi Green Field, Adjumani Green Field, and Hoima Green Field and terminal building. He has also supervised work at airfields in Arua, Entebbe, Soroti, and Kotido. Much as engineering was his passion as a child, Simon never dreamt of becoming an Aerodrome engineer because his dream was to become a civil engineer.
