{"id":16018,"date":"2024-02-29T17:26:16","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T07:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/?p=87827"},"modified":"2024-02-29T17:26:16","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T07:26:16","slug":"dutch-call-time-on-dc-3-pleasure-flying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=16018","title":{"rendered":"Dutch call Time on DC-3 Pleasure Flying"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em><strong>By James Kightly, Commissioning Editor<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the world&#8217;s longest serving vintage aircraft rides organizations is finishing up their passenger flying operating at the end of 2024. Founded back in 1982, as the Dutch Dakota Association, now <a href=\"https:\/\/dutchdakota.nl\/en\/\">DDA Classic Airlines<\/a>, they have been operating passenger pleasure flights from their native Holland through several parts of Europe for decades.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Their current aircraft is Douglas DC-3C registered <a href=\"https:\/\/dutchdakota.nl\/en\/about-the-dda\/ph-pba\/\">PH-PBA<\/a> and named &#8216;Prinses Amalia&#8217;. The board of the volunteer organization has revealed that (albeit it with enormous regret) 1 October 2024 will mark the end of their pleasure flying activities.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-87934\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1450mw-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1450mw-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1450mw-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1450mw-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1450mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chairman Feije Jaski told <em>Vintage Aviation News<\/em> that there is not one single factor causing them to shut down operations, but an increasing accumulation of restrictions making successful, break-even activities harder, and more difficult to realistically budget. Not a commercial airline, and not a &#x2018;for profit&#x2019; organization, but a volunteer group, but still required to adhere to passenger flying standards.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-107\">\n                <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n                <!-- VAN --><br \/>\n                <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n                    style=\"display:block\"\n                    data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                    data-ad-slot=\"9867299461\"\n                    data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n                    data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n                <script>\n                    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n                <\/script>\n            <\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In October, they will loose their current hangar, and no affordable alternative has been found. Increasing restrictions that have impinged include ratcheting up limits on airline movements at Schiphol (and DDA Classic Air being likely to be one of the first airlines to be restricted) increasing demands on CO2 emissions standards, and less availability and viability of avgas for piston engines at the airports frequented.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Feije Jaski said the: <em>&#8220;Increasing cost of landing fees, parking, legal levies, handling (aircraft and passengers), ATC, insurance, maintenance etc make it extremely difficult to maintain the level of ticket prices that are still acceptable to the public.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-87933\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1441mw-1024x408.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"408\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1441mw-1024x408.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1441mw-300x120.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1441mw-768x306.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1441mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>&#x201C;There is a limit to what is still saleable and what is not. In 2025 we will have to increase our prices with roughly 25% to break even. Our estimate is that we will loose a considerable amount of business if we do so. This jeopardizes the position of DDA.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rather than facing a decline, or death by a thousand cuts, Feije Jaski stated: <em>&#8220;We have no intentions to wait for these developments and rather take things in our own hands.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Dutch Dakota Association has a notable, long history of providing vintage airline experience from Continental Europe. Founded in March, 1982, they have clocked up over four decades of pleasure flying. Strongly identified with the DC-3, they have also owned a DC-2 and operated a DC-4. Their first DC-3 was an ex-Finnish machine, painted in period KLM colors as &#8216;The Flying Dutchman&#8217; and registered PH-DDA. (The names used are worth a note. Operating from Holland, the DDA&#8217;s main aircraft type are generally recognized as DC-3s in civil use, &#8216;Dakotas&#8217; after the British Commonwealth type name, and will be known as members of the C-47 family by American aficionados.)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_87929\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-87929\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87929 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgc20240220_17540983mw-1024x688.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgc20240220_17540983mw-1024x688.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgc20240220_17540983mw-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgc20240220_17540983mw-768x516.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgc20240220_17540983mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-87929\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The (then Dutch Dakota Association DC-3 PH-DDA wore modified KLM airline colors. The Dutch relationship with Douglas airliners goes back to the DC-2 in 1934. [Photo by James Kightly]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Operations started in 1984, with PH-DDA based at Schiphol Airport, with newly airline-standards trained pilots and cabin crew, and a skilled and complete technical support service. That summer, the DDA received the certificate of airworthiness from the Minister of Transportation Neelie Smit-Kroes. The following year the DC-3 won the &#8216;Concours d&#x2019;Elegance&#8217; at the <a href=\"https:\/\/dutchdakota.nl\/en\/about-the-dda\/history\/\">Fairford airshow<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_87928\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-87928\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87928 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgb20240220_17434680mw-1024x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgb20240220_17434680mw-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgb20240220_17434680mw-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgb20240220_17434680mw-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgb20240220_17434680mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-87928\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bigger Douglas ultimately proved to be two engines and capacity too far, but was a notable highlight on the European airshow circuit for a few years. [Photo by James Kightly]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_87926\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-87926\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87926 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cimg20240220_17434680mw-1024x427.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cimg20240220_17434680mw-1024x427.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cimg20240220_17434680mw-300x125.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cimg20240220_17434680mw-768x320.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/cimg20240220_17434680mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-87926\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Douglas DC-4, seen here at IWM Duxford at one of the late 1990s major shows (and above) reveals &#8216;the Flying Dutchman&#8217; banner. [Photo by James Kightly]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A second DC-3, a Beech 18 (primarily for crew training) was added, then a DC-2. In 1989, a 1944 Stinson L5 Sentinel that had been privately owned by DDA patron HRH Prince Bernhard (until 1956) was added to the collection. In 1996 and 97, two Douglas DC-4 Skymasters were added to the roster. The first PH-DDS started pleasure flights in 1997, though the other DC-4 was sold, and DC-4 operations only lasted until 2000.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tragically, after many years of passenger flying, on September 25, 1996, the DC-3 PH-DDA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baaa-acro.com\/crash\/crash-douglas-c-47a-70-dl-den-oever-32-killed\">crashed<\/a> near on mud flats Texel, after an engine failure. All 32 passengers and crew were killed. A huge shock to the vintage aviation community, the DDA record: <em>&#8220;This accident leaves deep marks on the surviving relatives and the DDA.&#8221;<\/em> A memorial was erected in the garden of the Provincial House in Haarlem.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div id=\"ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-108\">\n                <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n                <!-- VAN --><br \/>\n                <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n                    style=\"display:block\"\n                    data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                    data-ad-slot=\"9867299461\"\n                    data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n                    data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n                <script>\n                    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n                <\/script>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a full review, it was decided to continue and to even expand operations. Replacement DC-3s were brought online. In 1998; after a thorough restoration, the PBA Foundation transferred the former government-owned aircraft, registered PH-PBA (for &#8216;Prince Bernhard Alpha&#8217;), to the DDA board to add to its operational fleet. Douglas DC-3 PH-DDZ flew again after a full rebuild on May 7, 1999. The pleasure flying continued with steady success.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-87927 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/DDA_IMG_7524mw-296x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"296\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/DDA_IMG_7524mw-296x300.jpg 296w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/DDA_IMG_7524mw-768x778.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/DDA_IMG_7524mw.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among other administration changes and challenges, in 2012 PH-DDZ was grounded, requiring a new engine, and flights continued only with PH-PBA. In 2016 the sponsorship by the airline KLM ended, and in the&#xA0; supermarket chain Jumbo was the last major financial sponsor, but withdrew support on 1 January 2023. Issues with a secure, long term base with hangarage, and speculation over what price tourists would pay for tickets as well as other concerns over longer term viability with fuel and extra costs operating historic machinery added to the aforementioned accumulating challenges.<\/p>\n<div id=\"gallery-1\" class=\"gallery galleryid-87827 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large\">\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1821mw-1024x683.jpg\" title=\"Boarding the DC-3 &#x2018;Prinses Amalia&#x2019; for a flight over the D Day beaches. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman] \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1821mw-1024x683.jpg\" width=\"678\" height=\"452\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1509mw-1024x683.jpg\" title=\"The view of the D Day beaches and 'Mulburry Harbor' caissons. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman] \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1509mw-1024x683.jpg\" width=\"678\" height=\"452\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">However they intend to finish on a high. As Feije Jaski&#xA0; tells us: <em>&#8220;In 2024 from April until October the Dakota will fly every weekend to and from Dutch airport for round trips over the Netherlands. We will also visit L&#xFC;beck and Weeze in Germany and Oostende in Belgium. The highlight of the year will be the 80th&#xA0; commemoration of D-day in Normandy, where we will organize three round trips per day over the beaches for a period of two weeks.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So there are a number of opportunities to fly this DC-3, bookings <a href=\"https:\/\/dutchdakota.nl\/en\/book-a-flight\/\">here<\/a>, and clearly it is not a chance to miss.<\/p>\n<div id=\"gallery-2\" class=\"gallery galleryid-87827 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large\">\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1821mw-1024x683.jpg\" title=\"Boarding the DC-3 &#x2018;Prinses Amalia&#x2019; for a flight over the D Day beaches. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman] \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1821mw-1024x683.jpg\" width=\"678\" height=\"452\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1464mw-1024x683.jpg\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1464mw-1024x683.jpg\" width=\"678\" height=\"452\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_87937\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-87937\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87937 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1794mw-1024x529.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1794mw-1024x529.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1794mw-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1794mw-768x397.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/R6__1794mw.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-87937\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year is the last chance with the DDA Classic Airlines operation to make a flight over the Normandy beaches. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By James Kightly, Commissioning Editor One of the world\u2019s longest serving vintage aircraft rides organizations is finishing up their passenger flying operating at the end of 2024. Founded back in 1982, as the Dutch Dakota <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/vintage-aviation\/dutch-call-time-on-dc-3-pleasure-flying.html\" title=\"Dutch call Time on DC-3 Pleasure Flying\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396,402,312,5222,461],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aircraft","category-airline-news","category-aviation","category-dc-3","category-vintage-aviation"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16018"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16749,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16018\/revisions\/16749"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}