The aviation museum has announced that it has conducted a thorough investigation into whether the eighty-year-old aircraft, registered as PH-PBA, could still be flown. Such flights would only occur during special occasions, such as Veterans Day and Liberation Day, according to the trade publication Luchtvaartnieuws.
The museum concluded that the costs associated with operating the aircraft do not justify the limited benefits. The DC-3 had been providing sightseeing flights over the Netherlands for many years, but this came to an end last year when the volunteers responsible for keeping the aircraft operational indicated that it was no longer financially viable.
Additionally, the aircraft faced restrictions at many airports due to environmental regulations. The Dakota has played a significant role in the development of Dutch civil aviation, with the aircraft type being in use until the 1960s.
In 2010, the aircraft was renamed Princess Amalia in honor of her seventh birthday. The plane was once owned by her great-grandfather, Prince Bernhard, who purchased it after World War II. It served as a government aircraft from 1947 to 1961.
