Questions for Jelle

Looking for someone? Want to get in touch with other enthusiasts? This would be the place to post a message.
Post Reply
Charles
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:21 am

Questions for Jelle

Post by Charles »

Mr Heiminga,

First, could you give us an update on your saga of becoming an employed airliner pilot?

Second, I wonder if you could offer some insight in your position as a Dutchman on the VC/SVC-10: did KLM ever consider operating the aircraft? I realize that KLM in those days was very loyal to Douglas, but surely there were a lot of short fields in the Antilles and West Indies and such places that could have benefitted from our favorite machine?

Thanks
Charles
With Favourable Winds
Jelle Hieminga
Webmaster
Posts: 788
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2002 9:03 pm
Location: Amsterdam
Contact:

Re: Questions for Jelle

Post by Jelle Hieminga »

Charles wrote:First, could you give us an update on your saga of becoming an employed airliner pilot?
No problem, I realise that that page is overdue for updating (as are a few other things around the site!).

The story ended with me on a waiting list for a flying job, which unfortunately never happened. That left me in a bit of a bind as I kind of had my hopes and plans set on that job. The availability of flying jobs is slim at the moment, with the ones that are available asking for an expensive type rating that I don't have. Right now I'm waiting for a better opportunity to come along, and if that doesn't happen then I might look into getting a type rating (need to convince the bank on that one!) or perhaps moving abroad, which would really be a last resort! I am currently teaching at a local university. This keeps my finances in a normal state and is fun to do as I'm teaching for a Bachelor of Aviation engineering course.
Charles wrote:Second, I wonder if you could offer some insight in your position as a Dutchman on the VC/SVC-10: did KLM ever consider operating the aircraft? I realize that KLM in those days was very loyal to Douglas, but surely there were a lot of short fields in the Antilles and West Indies and such places that could have benefitted from our favorite machine?
My main position on the VC10 is as an enthusiast. For that it doesn't matter whether I'm Dutch, British or Chinese. Obviously since I have an interest in aviation history, that covers the 'local history' as well. I really don't know if KLM ever considered the VC10, but it is true that they were very happy with Douglas products. I think they may be the only airline that have operated every Douglas type starting with the DC-2, up until the MD-11! If you look at the KLM fleet in those days, they started operating DC-8s in 1960, which was four years before the VC10 became available. From that alone we can conclude that KLM was very quick in ordering the DC-8 and in operating it. The VC10 would just have been too late from the KLM's point of view. There may have been a few fields on their routes in those days that would have been perfect for operating a VC10, but the effect of the 707 and DC-8 sales on the worlds airports was that many short runways were lengthened to accomodate them. Thereby making the VC10 an unnecessary alternative.

Well, that's my opinion. Perhaps someone else knows more though and can add to this!
Buttons . . . check. Dials . . . check. Switches . . . check. Little
colored lights . . . check.
Post Reply