Subject: [History] SLM Some Aviation History

Article:

The SLM (Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij) (Surinam Airways) was founded 1 January 1955. The first flight was on 7 January 1955 to Moengo with a Cessna 170-B plane.

In May 1960, one Dakota DC-3 was added after it was purchased from KLM. The maiden flight was from Paramaribo to Curcao on 5 Oct 1960. The first direct flight Schiphol (NL) to Zanderij began on 2 Nov 1975. It was a DC8-63 and named the "25 November".

Around 1980 the SLM rented a DC8-55 combi from KLM with the option to buy the plane. It would be used for the Paramaribo-Curacao-Miami route. It was named the "Sabaku". In May 1983, a Boeing 737/200 was rented from the Danish Maersk Airways. It was named the Tjon Tjon and was intended to replace the DC8-55 combi as the combi did not meet noise pollution standards.

The worst SLM airline crash occurred on 7 June 1989. The DC8-62 "Anthony Nesty" with 187 passenger and a crew of 9 crashed in a fog near Zanderij killing 178 passengers and all crew members. In 1994 a De Havilland Dash 8 plane was acquired for regional routes.




Met dank aan Albert Buys








Met dank aan Albert Buys