BASIC AIR STUDY OF THE NETHERLANDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01617A004200070002-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: REPORT

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BASIC AIR STUDY OF THE NETHERLANDS
OUTLINE
I. Civil Air Policy of The Netherlands.
Governmental Activities An Connection With Civil Aviation.
Air Transport Companies.
?
Statistics on EY Operations
Airline Routes Flown
Air Facilities
IV. .Bilateral Agreements Concluded by The Netherlands.
V. Aeronautical Industry,- Research and Education.
col
Document No.
NO CHANGE in Class. 0
DECLASSIFIED
Sass. CHANGTE TO: TS S
DDA Memo, 4 Apr 77
Auth: DEA RTG. 77 1763
Date 0 FEB 1918By: Pu
?
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I.
BASIC AIR STUDY ON THE NETHERLANDS
Civil Air Policy of The Netherlands
The basic policy of the Netherlandefie to foster civil aviation as (1)
a national industry important to the overall economy of the country.
this is in keeping with the primary tradition of the country as a
leader in world transportation. The government's air orgalzation,
policies, and prodedures are generally considered to be sound and well
administered. Present policy consists of the subsidization of airlines,
industry, airports, education and training to the extent necessary to
support Dutch flag carriers in achieving and maintaining a dominant
position in world air transport. Since civil aviation is considered
an important contribution to national prestige, the government has
'shown willingness to underwrite any deficits which arise in operational
costs and 'is prepared to relegate to a secondary position the question
of profits. The limitation of commercial air operations to a single
chosen instrument in order to achieve the maximum development in effi-
ciency will continue as a fundamental policy for some time to come.
The majority opinion approVes of this procedure because of its success
,in the past and the economic and'operational difficulties to be en-
countered in establishing new air carriers.
In the field of international civil air policy the Dutch strongly ( 1, ,
support the most liberal policy. They are in favor of a wide open
multilateral with-no bilateral trading for routes in order to prevent
them from being denied for capricious reasons. The Dutch are members
and strong advocates of ICAO and attempt to maintain standards esta-
blished thereby. The government cooperates fully ih granting facilir.
ties to foreign airlines and no restrictions are imposed other than
the normal reservation of cabotage rights forint Government policy
in the past has been influenced by and closely associated with that
of the US. There are currently, however, important differences of
approach since the US has found it desirable to adopt certain reserva-
tions. The Dutch are at present the leaders in pursuing a policy of complete
freedom of the air and in this aspect are most closely related to the
Scandinavian countries.
The strength of Dutch civil aviation lies in its excellent and air- (1).
minded leadership; its strong government backing; its liberal, progressive
policies; its admirable operating record; and its possession of a good
international airport occupying a central location in Western Europe.
The weakness of the program is due to lack of foreign exchange, aircraft
manufacturing facilities and building materials.
II. Governmental Activities in Connection with Civil Aviation
The government problem of formulating, supervising and administering (1)
civil air policy and programs has continued to be simple enough to allow
for one government agency to deal with all matters. This is the
Rijkluchtvaartdienst (BLVD), one of four departments of the Ministry
of Transport and Power, which is headed by a Cabinet member. The
transportation section of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs participates
in civil aviation to the extent of providing liaison with foreign
governments. Matters of great importance are often taken to the Council
of Ministers for decision.
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law% n No I
III.. Air Transport Companies
(1) Statistics on KLM Operations:
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij voor Nederland en Kalonien (13,21)
N. V. (KLM) was formed at The Hague on 7 October 1918 by a group of
shipping officials industrialists and bankers, and is the oldest operat-
ing airline in the world. Service 'began on 18 May 1920 with the inauguration
,of a route between Amsterdam and London. With the outbreak of World War II
and the German occupation, KLM's European services were suspended with the
exception of the London-Lisbon route flown under charter to BOAC by a
fleet of DC-3s which escaped the invasion of Holland. In 1940, head-
quarters were transferred to KNILM, the Royal Dutch:Unit based in the
East Indies, and the Batavia route continued in operation until the fall
of the Netherlands possessions. Airline activities of KLM an MUM were
an
I
then confined to the Netherlands West Indian routes which had 'been in-
augurated in January, 1935. On 1 August 1947, KNILM was amalgamated
into KIM and an Inter-island Traffic Division was formed to operate the
air services in the East Indies on the instructions of and in cooperation-
with the Ministry of Transport, Power and Mines in Batavia. At present
it has 23.DC-3s and 3 amphibian Catalinas.
KLM is allegedly operated as a private business enterprise even - (1,5)
though the government has a majority stock interest. Foreigners are
not permitted to own controlling or minority interests and the government
provides capital investment funds which amount to more than 95% of the
corporation's stock. Private ownership is favored by KLM but the government
desires not only to provide sufficient capital for KLM's postwar reconstruct-
ion and expansion, but also to retain a guiding hand on long range policy.
On the other hand. Mr. Albert Plesman, Managing Director of KLM, actually
has a dominant voice in the determination of Netherlands civil air policy.
Because KLM 54 seUrce of foreign exchange, it is accorded a privileged '
position by the government in questions of allocation of materials.
Equipment consists of 29 0-475, 12 0-545, 6 DC-4s, 1$ Constellations,(4,73,2Si
7 DC-6s, and 1 Taylorcraft. In addition, KLM has 12 Convairs and 2 new
Constellations on order.
KLM uses many foreign pilots, the majority of which are Canadian. (13)
Company employees total approximately 12,000, of which 332 are pilots.
ea ?
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(2) Airline Routes Flown:
External:
1. Miami if Kingston - Aruba - Curacao
2, Curacao - Caracas
3. Miami - Havana - Kingston - Aruba - Curacao
4. Kingston - Port au Prince - Ciudad Trujillo Curacao
5. Aruba - Caracas
6. Curacao - Port of Spain - Paramaribo
7. Curacao - Port of Spain
Round trips
per week
5
12
2
2
2
3'
2
(2)
B. Aruba - Curacao
29
9. Curacao Aruba - Barranquilla - San Jose
2
10. Curacao = Aruba - Barranquilla
1
11. Curacao - Aruba - Maracaibo
7
12. Curacao - Bonaire
6
13. Curacao - St: Martin - St. Kitts
1
14. Amsterdam - Paris
14
15. Amsterdam - Brussels
13
16. Amsterdam - Copenhagen - Stockholm
7
17. Amsterdam - Zurich
7
1
lg. Amsterdam - Geneva
19. Amsterdam - Geneva - Rome - Tunis
3
20. ,Amsterdam - Geneva - Madrid Lisbon
3
21. Amsterdam - Christiansand Oslo
3
22. Amsterdam - Oslo
3
23. Amsterdam - Manchester - Dublin
3
24. Amsterdam - Prague
146
25. London - Eindhoven
26. Amsterdam - Eindhoven
6
27. Amsterdam - Glasgow
3
2g. Amsterdam - Hamburg
2
29. Eindhoven - Basle
6
30. Eindhoven,- Zurich
3
31. Eindhoven - Frankfurt - Munich
32. Eindhoven - Frankfurt
2
1
25X1
33. Amsterdam - Eindhoven - Lourdes
1
34. Amsterdam - Zurich - Budapest
35. Curacao - New York - Gander - Prestwick - Amsterdam
2
36. New York - Gander - Prestwick - Amsterdam
7
37. Amsterdam - London
49
3g. Amsterdam - Tunis - Kano - Leopoldville
(technical stop only).- Johannesburg
2
39. Amsterdam - Rome - Athens - Cairo
2
40. Amsterdam - Cairo - Basis. - Karachi - Calcutta -
Bangkok - Batavia
5
41. Amsterdam - Rome - Cairo - Basra - Karachi 7
Calcutta - Bangkok - Singapore - Batavia
42. Amsterdam - Rome - Cairo - Basra - Karachi -
Calcutta - Bangkok - Batavia
1
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43.
Amsterdam - Rome - Istanbul - Ankara - Teheran
1
44.
Batavia - Semarang - Sourabaya
114
45.
Batavia - Sourabaya - Macassar - Mendao
1
46.
Batavia - Sourakya - Macassar - Mendao - Moratai
2
47.
Batavia - Sourabaya - Balikpapan - Zamboanga (technical
stop only) - Manila
25X11
48.
Batavia - Palembang - Singapore ,
3
49.
Batavia - Palembang - Medan - Sabang
1
50.
Batavia - Pangkalpinakg-Singapore
1
Internal:
1. Amsterdam - Groninger
2. Amsterdam - Enschede
3. Amsterdam-- Maastricht
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24
(25)
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Jaen I
The government has licensed one other carrier for non-scheduled (1)
operations but this activity is presently limited to local air taxi
service in single engined aircraft.
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SKIM I
Foreign airlines servicing Amsterdam include:,
AIR FRANCE
AOA
BEA
SWISSAIR
SAS
AER LINGUS
CSA
SABENA
AERO 0/Y
MASZOVLET hasa,ermission to reciprocate KLMIs service to
Budapest but had not commenced service as of 17 June ,1948 due
to inability to secure UK or US permission to transit their
zones of occupation in Germany. '
(2)
(26)
(10)
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../L%.RE, I
(3) Air Facilities:
The government promotes the development of airports through direct (1)
subsidies. Most airfields are still controlled and operated by the
military; others are operated by the municipality under supervision of
the BLVD.
The only airport worth mentioning is Schipol, near Amsterdam,
where all international services are carried on. A vast construction
program which includes new runways and extensions, hangars and
parking areas has been going on for eighteen months. Schipol lies
below sea level and is vulnerable to destruction by inundation.
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.SECRET
Bilateral Agreements
Fifth freedom type:
Brazil 6 Nov 47
(7, 13 14, 15, 18, 22)
Canada 2 June 48 (5th freedom not to be exercised
until later)
China 6 Dec 47
Czechoslovakia 1 Sept 47
Greece 17 Apr 47
India 31 May 47
Ireland 10 May 48
Portugal 12 Apr 46
Siam 15 June 47
South Africa 22 July 47
Spain ? 13 July 46 (abrogated effective Aug 4g)
Turkey 19 Mar 47
United Kingdom 13 Aug 46 c
Uruguay 12 May 47
,
Interim type:
Egypt
.Iran
ISEESL7C,1?mit
Norway
Philippines
Company-government type:
Columbia 15 Sept 47
Costa Rica 11 Jan 47
Cuba 19 Mar 47
Denmark 22 May 46
Haiti 17 Aug 43
Netherlands - AOA 29 Nov 45
Venezuela 2 Sept 44
Unknown type:
(t10.9,20127.28)
C z.t)
Australia ? 3 June 37 (22)
Dominican Republic
France 15 July 48
Sweden 3 Nov 45
As seen above, the only satellite with Which the Netherlands (23)
have a regular reciprocal agreement is Czechoslovakia:. There is
a provisional reciprocal arrangement with Hungary for fortnightly
'alternate flights by.KLM and MASZOVLEILfor the period April through
September but subject to. cancellation at any time.
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In August 1947, the Netherlands negotiated a fifth freedom
agreement with Austria. This has now been ratified by Austria
and is awaiting approval by the allied occupational authorities.
The alIbd occupational authorities in Germany have granted
permission for KIM to operate to Germany but cabotage rights
Frankfurt-Munich are still under discussion.
Agreements with Peru and Chile were initialed in 1948 but
no service is contemplated this year. The type of agreement is
unknown.
The Netherlands government wishes to formalize the temporary (13,26)
arrangement under which service is made to Italy and negotiations
-will be carried on after the UK has succeeded in obtaining Si
satisfactory agreement with Italy. ?
Theyetherlands government remains anxious to conclude a (26)
formal non-restrictive bilateral with the US. Negotiations
have been carried on sicoradically since July 1946, and in the
meantime operations of both airlines continue.
Finland and the Netherlands have exchanged letters in
regard to the opening of an air service. The Dutch will not
ask for reciprocal rights until technical difficulties at the
airport at Malmo have been overcome.
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,3tt.Kt I
V. Aeronautical Industry, Research and Education
(1) Aeronautical Industry:
Under the recommendation of-a governmental commission,
unification of the aircraft industry was achieved with the
signing of a merger agreement on 1 February 1947 which pro-
vided for incorporation of a new company, Fokker Netherlands
Associated Aircraft Factories, Inc. The merging companies
were Fokker NetherlanjAircraft Works, Aviolanda Aircraft
Construction Company d the aircraft contruction department
of Scheldt Royal Company. Fokkers is now the sole air manu-
facturing concern in the Netherlands and receives limited
financial support from the government through subsidies and
the allocation of raw materials and foreign exchange.
Combined industrial resources under centralized .direction
and with government support is favored in order to recreate
and help revive an industry that was destroyed by the war and
has limited opportunities for development.
As the industry is still in the stage of reconstruction,
it is mainly being used as a repair center by the Dutch and
Belgian Air Forces. It has commenced the construction under
license of the North American "Harvard" and of the Hawker
"Seafury". "Fokker Instructor S. 11", the first trainer plane
designed in Holland since the war, is shortly to undergo test-
ing. As transport aircraft are not likely to be produced
locally for many years, US aircraft industry is being relied
upon to fulfill KLM needs.
The government authorizes Fokkers to convert military
surplus Dakotas and Skymasters for foreign aviation companies.
The question of whether this service may apply to satellite
countries is at present undergoing discussion and it is felt
that the Netherlands will acquiesce to the us, viewpoint-in
this case provided the policy becomes universal in apPlication.
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(1,6)
(1,25)
(1)
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(2) Research:
The government operates its own National Aeronautical Research (1)
Institute and subsidizes in full the Netherlands Institute for the
Development of Aircraft (a semi-official agency), the board of which
includes representatives from ELM, Fokkers, the National Aeronautical
Researdh Institute and various governmental departments. The Nether-
lands Institute for the Development of Aircraft has no laboratory but
directs and gives financial support through government loans and
direct subsidies to Fokkers for the development of prototype aircraft.
The research program is not very extensive because of A relatively
small investment and a limited manufacturing industry.
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.(3) Education:
The government sponsors, controls and subsidizes aeronautical (1)
education. The BLVD in the Ministry of Transport directly operates
its own National Flying School for pilots; the Ministry of Education
operates the technicians' schools; and the State University of Delft
provides aeronautical engineering training: The total enrollment at
Delft and the flying training school is approximately 100 each, with
enrollment in technical schools approximately 500. KLM also operates
schools for advanced pilots, technician and administrative training.
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STAT
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