On December 15, 1934, around 88 years ago, a very special flight took off from Schiphol Airport. At ten minutes past midnight, the three-engine Fokker F-XVIII “Snip,” registration PH-AIS, took off with a crew of four on board: J.J. Hondong, captain; J.J. van Balkom, first officer/navigator; S. van der Molen, assistant navigator and radio operator; L.D. Stolk, flight engineer. Their final destination was the Antillean island of Aruba. To get there, they had to cross the Atlantic Ocean. They were the first KLM crew to succeed in doing so, thereby opening up transatlantic service to the Dutch colonies in the “West.” Their journey was a real adventure, not least because the last and longest leg of the journey was over the sea. It was an exciting undertaking that took several years to prepare.

KLM Historic Virtual is an airline for the flight simulator, which has the same function as the real KLM, as it existed years ago. We follow several routes of the “old” KLM depending on the type of aircraft with flight schedules from 1954 to 1965. We fly with some aircraft types as they were then. Unfortunately, not all aircraft are available for the flight simulator in the colors of the “Flying Dutchman.” Therefore, other KLM aircraft types are used.

KLM Historic Virtual is an airline for the flight simulator that has the same fictional function as the real KLM as it existed years ago. We follow several routes of the “old” KLM depending on the type of aircraft with flight schedules from 1954 to 1965. We fly with some aircraft types as they were then.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Quelle: Wikipedia/Duncanharrington

Am 15. Dezember 1934, also vor rund 88 Jahren, startete von Schiphol aus ein ganz besonderer Flug. Um zehn Minuten nach Mitternacht hob die dreimotorige Fokker F-XVIII "Snip", Registrierung PH-AIS, mit einer vierköpfigen Besatzung an Bord ab: J.J. Hondong, Kapitän; J.J. van Balkom, Erster Offizier/Navigator; S. van der Molen, stellvertretender Navigator und Funktelegrafist; L.D. Stolk, Flugingenieur. Ihr Endziel war die Antilleninsel Aruba. Um dorthin zu gelangen, müssen sie den Atlantischen Ozean überqueren. Sie waren die erste KLM-Besatzung, der dies gelang, und eröffneten damit den transatlantischen Dienst zu den niederländischen Kolonien im "Westen". Ihre Reise war ein echtes Abenteuer, nicht zuletzt, weil die letzte und längste Etappe der Reise über das Meer führte. Ein aufregendes Unterfangen, dessen Vorbereitung mehrere Jahre gedauert hatte.

KLM Historic Virtual is an airline for the flight simulator, which has the same function as the real KLM, as it existed years ago. We follow several routes of the "old" KLM depending on the type of aircraft with flight schedules from 1954 to 1965. We fly with some aircraft types as they were then. Unfortunately not all aircraft are available for the flight simulator in the colors of the "Flying Dutchman". Therefore other KLM aircraft types are used.

KLM Historic Virtual ist eine Fluggesellschaft für den Flugsimulator, die dieselbe aber fiktive Funktion wie es die echte KLM hat, so wie sie vor Jahren existierte. Wir folgen mehreren Routen der "alten" KLM je nach Flugzeugtyp mit Flugplänen aus 1954 bis 1965. Wir fliegen mit einigen Flugzeugtypen wie damals. 

Foto: eigenes Werk