You are never served so well as by yourself. A statement that King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands makes when he takes a plane trip. Rather than traveling as a passenger, he prefers to take control of the aircraft.
In the cockpit, headphones on
When the Dutch government plane arrived at Atlanta airport, the monarch appeared in the cockpit, headphones on, talking to the pilot. And he had every reason to be there. Because Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is not only head of state, he also has all the skills to pilot this Boeing 737 Business Jet.
Because his birth destined him to wear the crown, the son of Queen Beatrix was unable to make his childhood dream of piloting large commercial planes his profession. But he found the solution, by combining his passion for aviation with his function as crown prince and then sovereign.
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More than twenty years flying airliners incognito
For 21 years, in the greatest secrecy, until the Dutch daily “De Telegraaf” spilled the beans in 2017 with his consent, Willem-Alexander, holder of the appropriate licenses, slipped into the cockpit of the planes of the Dutch company KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to ensure its flight hours. And this, without the passengers being aware, officiating as a volunteer guest pilot on short flights (he had to be able to return quickly to the Netherlands in the event of an emergency).
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands co-pilots the government plane upon his arrival at Waterkloof military airport in South Africa, October 18, 2023. When it comes to an official or state visit, the sovereign can make long flights
ABACA / © ANP
He was then flying aboard a Fokker 70. But KLM having planned to remove this aircraft from its fleet, seven years ago it had no other solution, to continue to don this costume of flying two or three times a month. co-pilot, than to begin training to be at the controls of a Boeing 737. And, consequently, to inform his subjects of this original double life.
Willem-Alexander impacted by the disappearance of the drivers’ cap from KLM
No need to hide anymore. Especially since, as he confided last year in the podcast “Door de ogen van de Koning” (Through the eyes of the king) recorded on the occasion of his ten years of reign, it has been difficult for him since the removal of KLM pilots’ headgear in 2018.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands co-pilots the government plane upon his arrival in Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, February 6, 2023
Getty Images / © Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage
“For me, the cap was a very good way to cross Schiphol unnoticed on the way to boarding. Because as a pilot, you are the last one to arrive at the gate. Then you pass through all the passengers,” said King Willem-Alexander, according to comments reported by the Dutch news site “NU.nl”. It is therefore impossible to reach the cockpit incognito and without being photographed with mobile phones. But this apparently does not bother the very friendly sovereign.
