History Of Commercial Aviation Of The Dutch East Indies Colonial Era

The inauguration of the Dutch East Indies airline KNILM by the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Andries de Graeff at the Tjilitan Airport, Batavia on November 1, 1928. (Wikimedia Commons/Tropenmuseum)

JAKARTA - Dutch colonizers often follow their advantages. Where there is profit, there is the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. The narrative was realized by the presence of air transportation in the archipelago. A series of planes were originally used for the military, then commercial.

Empunya kuasa untung besar. Kota-kota besar di Indonesia dapat terhasil dengan cepat. Namun, urusan naik pesawat bukan perkara mudah. siapapun yang ingin naik pesawat harus berani bayar mahal dan dihadapi risiko tinggi.

The emergence of air transportation was greeted with great fanfare in the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia). His presence was marked by the establishment of the military flight service in 1914. The extension of the flight was directed to fully benefit the military. From the transportation of personnel to weapons.

Many Dutch entrepreneurs also see gaps in profits. Air transportation can save a lot of time, he thought. This narrative makes the existing entrepreneurs initiate the presence of an organized commercial aviation service.

The proposal was conveyed directly to the owner of power. The Dutch colonizers could not refuse. This is because the advantage of the presence of civilian aviation is able to faten the pockets of the Dutch colonialists. They can feel how the train is present that profit is piled up. The Dutch think the same applies to the presence of commercial airplanes.

The Dutch East Indies airline, Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KNILM) was formed in 1928. KNILM is here to answer the needs of rulers and entrepreneurs. These include organizing cheap flights (subsidies), traditional, photography, and other interests.

This desire is stronger because the KNILM was initially equipped with four Fokker VII aircraft. Each of the aircraft registered with HN-AFA, HN-AFB, HN-AFC and HN-AFD. Problems arise. The transportation is not optimal.

One plane only has a capacity of eight passengers and carries 300 kg of baggage. Flight routes are also prepared and limited. Likewise, other facilities and infrastructure. The aircraft fleet is slowly added every year.

Financial and technical watchdogs are carried out by the Civil Aviation Section of the Government's Industry Department in Bandung, which deals with all issues related to civil aviation: such as air arrangements, registration, licenses, aircraft inspections, pilot licenses, airport establishment, air routes, and air navigation facilities, international relations, subsidies and the issuance of the Dutch East Indies Declaration to pilots.

The government has also included flying fields and airports belonging to the military and marine have included them in the administration of civilian air traffic by the Government. Airports/air areas have now been established in Batavia, Semarang, Surabaya, Bandung, Palembang, and Medan. Furthermore, approximately 30 airfields are located in Java, while in Sumatra and other islands Nusantara airports located between the islands of Java and Australia have also allowed or could provide opportunities for planes to land, "explained J. Stroomberg in the bookHindia Bayanda 1930(2018).

The existence of air transportation does not necessarily make getting on a plane easy. Riding a plane in the Dutch East Indies era was like a test of your guts. First, your guts are tested with flights that do not yet have safety standards, aka dangerous. Second, your guts is tested with the high price of tickets set on a single trip.

Dangerous flight matters, for example. Flights can be dangerous because aircraft security facilities have not yet been equipped. No numbering in eight rattan seats for passengers. Who's fast, he got it.

Even sitting not wearing a seat belt. The airplane window can be opened according to the wishes of passengers. However, if you take off and land the window, you have to close it. Passengers should not hope to feel comfortable like they are on a luxury first grade train. There is no flight attendant alone.

This picture made the Dutch airline KNILM often get a bad image. People of his time dubbed KNILM with: If It Rises, It Dies Quickly. Something called a play that emphasized the danger of flights in the early era of commercial aircraft in the air.

Dangerous flights are expensive too. Those who can board planes are those who are rich and very rich. From businessmen, travelers, to government officials. Whoever doesn't want to get a discount, they must first be registered in the Dutch East Indies Aviation Association.

The card of the association members is like a magic card. Capital shows only a card, 15 percent ticket price discount is obtained. The matter of carrying luggage is not limited. However, the goods that can be brought in the trunk of the plane are limited. The remaining baggage will be carried via train which has become part of the ticket price.

Regarding ticket prices, it is difficult to make comparisons with current prices. Let it be, here it will be called a few numbers; Batavia-Semarang one road 60 guilders. Batavia-Surabaya 90 guilders, Batavia-Singapore 140 guilders, and Batavia-Medan 225 guilders. The comparison of travel times seems clearer. Every day, except Sunday, a plane from Batavia departs at 7.30 am and arrives at Semarang at 10.00 (Semarang with Fokker 28 this distance is taken within 45 minutes).

From Semarang the plane departs at 10.20 and arrives in Surabaya at 12.00 pm (Now Jakarta-Surabaya with DC-9 is taken within 1 hour). There is only one flight to Singapore a week, namely on Tuesday. From Batavia the plane takes off at 7.25 and arrives in Palembang at 9.55. Departing again from Palembang at 13.55 (Now the distance from Jakarta-Singapore is direct, taken in about 1 hour 20 minutes), wrote Dharmasena Magazine report entitled Up Aircraft 50 Years Ago (1988).