King present at the celebration of 100 years of aviation in the Netherlands

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In 2019, KLM, NLR – Netherlands Aerospace Centre – and GKN Fokker all celebrate their 100th anniversary. In honour of their anniversaries, they will organise the event ‘100 years of aviation in the Netherlands’ at the Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam on 14 March 2019. The event focuses on the development of international civil aviation and elaborates on the challenges for aviation in the Netherlands to continue flying in a smart, sustainable and economically responsible manner. KLM, GKN Fokker and NLR are pleased to announce that His Majesty the King will attend the event.

NLR 100 jaar luchtvaart in Nederland

Student challenge, coin and stamp

A student challenge has been organised especially for the anniversary year, where students will present their innovative, technical and social answers to sustainability issues. During his visit, the King will speak to the participants of the challenge. Infrastructure and Water Management Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen will present a prize for the winning idea.

In honour of a hundred years of Dutch aviation, the Royal Dutch Mint produced a jubilee coin, which is considered official currency. During the event, His Majesty the King will symbolically strike the first coin in the presence of State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel.

A new stamp will also be unveiled, in the theme 100 years of aviation in the Netherlands. It will be received by Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen.

Eye Film Museum

The anniversary celebrations kick off at the Eye Film Museum because of Dutch Aviation’s historical relationship with Amsterdam North. The First Air Traffic Exhibition Amsterdam (ELTA) was organised here in 1919. Shortly afterwards, KLM was founded, for which Fokker, also founded that year, manufactured the aircraft. The predecessor of the NLR, the National Aviation Research Service (RSL), was also established in 1919 to enhance the safety of military and civil aviation.

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