Albert Plesman

He was born as the son of an egg trader from The Hague. In 1915 he joined the mobilized Dutch airforce as an officer, at the time still called the "militaire luchtvaartafdeling" (military aviation department), in Soesterberg. After World War I, in which the Netherlands remained neutral, he started the organization of ELTA, the "Eerste Luchtverkeer Tentoonstelling Amsterdam" (First Aviation Exhibition Amsterdam), held from 1 August until 14 September 1919. For that occasion enormous halls (hangars) were built. Right after the exhibition, these were used by Anthony Fokker, for his new company, Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek (Dutch Aircraft Factory), subsequently the Fokker airplane factory.

All these activities led to the establishment of Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), of which Plesman became director and made a flourishing company. After World War II, Plesman was appointed president-director of KLM. After recovering from the war, KLM became a renowned airline company under his leadership. On 25 February 1946, KLM had the first airline flights from continental Europe to the USA. For his efforts, he received in 1947 an honorary doctorate of the Technical University of Delft. Plesman pleaded in vain for a displacement of Schiphol Airport to a location near Burgerveen. The father of KLM died in The Hague on December 31, 1953, at age 64.

Biography

Albert Plesman was born on 7 September 1889, to Johan Cornelis Plesman, an egg trader from The Hague and Hendrika van Wessel, one of seven children. He was raised in a Protestant household under the strict rule of his father. He was known to have episodes of obscure or sporadic behavior. These episodes led him to attending the Hogere Burgerschool, a preparatory academy in The Hague. Albert realized great strengths in mathematics during his time at the school, which spawned an interest in commercial aviation.

Upon the death of his mother and his graduation from Hogere Burgerschool, Plesman enrolled in the Alkmaar Cadet School for service in Royal Dutch East Indies Army. He then attended the Royal Military Academy in Breda, Netherlands, where he first explored his interest in aviation through access to the Gilze-Rijen airfield. Plesman then began his service as a 2nd lieutenant where his access to aviation expanded. He was exposed to a lieutenant pilot named W. C. J. Versteegh, who flew a Farman F.20. Plesman was able to explore his desire to fly through Verstegh. Plesman officially became a student cadet of flight in April 1917.

Albert Plesman met Susanna Jacoba van Eijk in early 1917, whom he later married in December of that year. They had three sons and a daughter. He was recalled as a great family man who realized the importance in family togetherness. He would regularly bring his children to important meetings and events within his company, which was a generally uncommon practice for his socioeconomic stature.