Manfred was born and raised in Switzerland. He trained as a technician at a Nuclear Research Facility in that country, and he worked where he had been educated until he moved to Toronto, Canada, in 1965. That is where Manfred learned to fly. In the early seventies, he moved back to Switzerland and worked as a systems programmer on mainframe computers. In the early 80's he began a career at a major computer manufacturer, leading to a slew of overseas assignments for his employer who sponsored a spin-off in Culver City, California. He continued to fly an ever-longer list of aircraft, including helicopters and airliners (DC3). He has been flying helicopters commercially for five years in Santa Fe, where he is now retired. He speaks five languages. He just published his first novel.