Last Flight of Chief Pilot 747 & Cpt TRI TRE Paul van de Ven @ KLM

After an enormous career Chief Pilot 747 & Captain B747 TRI – TRE Paul van de Ven got his last flight due to retirement at KLM.

The ‘Majestic B747’ was his beloved aircraft.

Together with former 747 pilots Cpt Jan-Joost van Hemel and FO Willem Luijten as his ‘Wingmen’,

and KLM Pilot in being daughter Lisa heading for final destination Capetown and back Amsterdam.

I operated Paul’s final pushback at homebas Amsterdam Airport on special request.

Stand Echo 19 , standard pusback with tail to the tower and giving a ‘Wing Wave’ as all-clear signal as respect to my special friend.

Thereafter I was able to reach the Romeo platform just in time to capture his takeoff at runway 24.

Flight KL597, callsign KLM-119-Heavy, Amsterdam-Capetown, operated with the B777-300ER reg PHBVF.

Backflight KL598 with callsign KLM104, operated with the B777-300ER reg PHBVS.

Paul got turned to a dedicated frequency ,when entering the Dutch Airspace, for a wonderful speech.

Captain Paul crossed Schiphol Airport overhead , across Amsterdam and turning right for homebase.

Runway 27 and vacating at November 5. Suprise by an escorte of the complete fleet of airport follow-me cars with final stand Echo24.

When turning right into taxiway Alpha 13 and another turning right on stand Echo 24 there was another surprise.

One of his best friends was marshalling him to his final position on Echo 24.

 

 

Videostills……….

    

Written by RalphValkenier in Last Flights - 2023

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After an enormous career Chief Pilot 747 & Captain B747 TRI – TRE Paul van de Ven got his last flight due to retirement at KLM. The ‘Majestic B747’ was his beloved aircraft. Together with former 747 pilots Cpt Jan-Joost van Hemel and FO Willem Luijten as his ‘Wingmen’, and KLM Pilot in being daughter Lisa heading for final destination Capetown and back Amsterdam. I operated Paul’s final pushback at homebas Amsterdam Airport on special request. Stand Echo 19 , standard pusback with tail to the tower and giving a ‘Wing Wave’ as all-clear signal as respect to my special […]

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