Jacob Louis Veldhuyzen van Zanten (February 5, 1927 – March 27, 1977) was a Dutch aircraft captain and flight instructor. He was the captain of the ill-fated KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747 involved in the Tenerife airport disaster.
Born in Lisse, Netherlands, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot's license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3. [1] He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator's License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot's License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator's License on August 6, 1963.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was known throughout KLM for his professionalism, and his career advanced quickly. In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747 pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM Captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots (IFALPA) was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book ‘Disasters In The Air' he describes Van Zanten as " ...a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company's pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems".[2]
A highly influential management pilot, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was nicknamed "Mr. KLM."[citation needed]
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM's first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM's advertisements. While post-Tenerife-Disaster researchers attribute this fact to his high position within KLM, some have doubts about this. Jan Bartelski argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying. The controversy was fueled further because magazines containing an advertisement featuring Veldhuyzen van Zanten were aboard the aircraft involved in the Tenerife disaster.
At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim, Netherlands. Some of his interests included music, the United States, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Born in Lisse, Netherlands, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot's license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3. [1] He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator's License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot's License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator's License on August 6, 1963.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was known throughout KLM for his professionalism, and his career advanced quickly. In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747 pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM Captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots (IFALPA) was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book ‘Disasters In The Air' he describes Van Zanten as " ...a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company's pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems".[2]
A highly influential management pilot, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was nicknamed "Mr. KLM."[citation needed]
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM's first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM's advertisements. While post-Tenerife-Disaster researchers attribute this fact to his high position within KLM, some have doubts about this. Jan Bartelski argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying. The controversy was fueled further because magazines containing an advertisement featuring Veldhuyzen van Zanten were aboard the aircraft involved in the Tenerife disaster.
At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim, Netherlands. Some of his interests included music, the United States, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Jacob Louis Veldhuyzen van Zanten (February 5, 1927 – March 27, 1977) was a Dutch aircraft captain and flight instructor. He was the captain of the ill-fated KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747 involved in the Tenerife airport disaster.
Born in Lisse, Netherlands, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot's license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3. [1] He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator's License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot's License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator's License on August 6, 1963.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was known throughout KLM for his professionalism, and his career advanced quickly. In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747 pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM Captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots (IFALPA) was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book ‘Disasters In The Air' he describes Van Zanten as " ...a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company's pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems".[2]
A highly influential management pilot, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was nicknamed "Mr. KLM."[citation needed]
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM's first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM's advertisements. While post-Tenerife-Disaster researchers attribute this fact to his high position within KLM, some have doubts about this. Jan Bartelski argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying. The controversy was fueled further because magazines containing an advertisement featuring Veldhuyzen van Zanten were aboard the aircraft involved in the Tenerife disaster.
At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim, Netherlands. Some of his interests included music, the United States, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Born in Lisse, Netherlands, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot's license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3. [1] He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator's License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot's License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator's License on August 6, 1963.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was known throughout KLM for his professionalism, and his career advanced quickly. In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747 pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM Captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots (IFALPA) was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book ‘Disasters In The Air' he describes Van Zanten as " ...a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company's pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems".[2]
A highly influential management pilot, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was nicknamed "Mr. KLM."[citation needed]
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM's first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM's advertisements. While post-Tenerife-Disaster researchers attribute this fact to his high position within KLM, some have doubts about this. Jan Bartelski argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying. The controversy was fueled further because magazines containing an advertisement featuring Veldhuyzen van Zanten were aboard the aircraft involved in the Tenerife disaster.
At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim, Netherlands. Some of his interests included music, the United States, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
