Is the Dutch King flying you?
 

He could well be. The BBC is reporting that King Willem Alexander flies for KLM about twice a month. Apparently he is to learn to fly the 737 this summer as it is replacing the Fokker in service.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander reveals secret flights as co-pilot - BBC News

Royals and flying - amazing how the interest translates across them all

He should be reigned in. :p

A KingAir would be more appropriate.

Thank gawd my own Crown Prince doesn't fly any more.

Last time he tried, the pillock buried an otherwise serviceable HS146 in the soggy turf after he made a complete and utter arse of a hot, high, downwind, downhill approach to a wet runway.

The locus of the abrupt halt is known to local pilots as Holding Point Charlie.

His mummy won't let him play with her flying club's aeroplanes any more.:(

Robots, Kings... what's next?

As "Oranje" he could be flying for easyJet as well couldn't he?

Does he suffer from Dutch roll?

Don't think so.Rumour has it, he is limited to 250 kt and 10.000 feet.;)

Which presumably means that he never lands?

'Never lands'

Excellent.

Arkefly nicked that call sign 2 years ago unfortunately

Ever since his training for commercial pilot in roughly 1988/89 he has been flying as copilot on regular commercial service in KLM cityhopper. He has been seen many times around the crewcenter of KLM and , although recognizable, is just another anonymous colleague.

In other words, he didnt give up the day job when he inherited the family business from his mother, he just cut back his hours.
The F70s are being replaced with 737s so all of the F70 crews are retraining.

Good for him. I wonder if the all-powerful VNV have insisted on him joining the union or perhaps they are not quite that brave?

More from De Telegraaf (in Dutch)

Koning gebruikt trucje in cockpit|Telegraaf VNDG| Telegraaf.nl

This explains why the cloggies named it KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Proud of the guy doing it!

And he's a member of the allmighty vnv. Indeed. So what? I find it an exellent example of egalitarian culture in NL.
The head of state does his work amongst other regular people. And the prime minister can actually go by bike to/from his office.

The F70's are being replaced by Embraer 175's (and a few more Embraer 190's in addition to the ones that replaced the F100's)

The government F70 was sold and is shortly to be replaced by a 737 BBJ. That's why he's doing his 737 type rating.

First thing I thought of when I saw it on Twitter - wonder what his username is on PPRuNe :D

It's cool to be King!

How does the Capt address him on the flight deck? What happens if he needs the loo? Someone will recognise him!

hmmmm, wonder if he had to go through the regular pilot selection like us "normal people" :rolleyes:

Refreshing to see a 'Royal' out in the real world.

How's that for a story full of sunshine. All those years flying incognito, and nobody at KL has spilled the beans.

It seems he flies mainly with the same skipper, which implies they know each other rather well. HRH does not seem like a bloke with royal airs, and NL is a rather eglagitarian nation. With that in mind, I suppose they refer to each other as 'Maarten' and 'Willem', as in 'Floor it Willy, we have a slot to meet!'

Needing the loo is not likely to be an issue, most NLM flights are only around an hour.

Ah that makes more sense. The Press Release is making it seem like Fokker 70's are being replaced by B737's!

The F70 is not sold yet - that will be early June. BBJ will not enter service until Q1 2019. For those that are interested.

The press release also implies that it was a secret, but the fact that he regularly flies for KLM has been well known for years.

Now we know who is #1 in seniority list

Wonder if he has to go through security like everyone else....?

That crown beeps every time.

"captain would you like me to start the apu?"

"yes your highness"

Jet-qualified royals and heads of state aren't all that rare, when you look at it; Hussein (Jordan), Mubarak (Egypt), Hafiz Al Assad (Syria), Prince Charles (England), probably others.

Prince William Wales, Duke of Cambridge (rotary at least, though probably Tucano and, maybe, Hawk, too).

His captain should compare notes with Robert L. Scott.

Prince Charles never flew any commercial Aircraft. He did "try" and fly the Royal flight BAE146 I believe, to limited success.

And that is why our king is also passionate about flying.