Buiksloot Airfield

Abandonment and obsolescence. The airfield was a primitive, temporary field from the dawn of aviation. As the Dutch aviation industry matured, operations were consolidated at larger, better-equipped, and more permanent facilities like Soesterberg Air Base and, later, Schiphol Airport (opened 1916). The site's subsequent absorption by the rapid urban expansion of Amsterdam-Noord made its original purpose obsolete and its location untenable.

The site of the former airfield has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an aviation facility. The provided coordinates (52.407222, 4.895278) place the location directly within the Noorderpark, a large public park in the Amsterdam-Noord borough. The surrounding area is a densely populated urban environment consisting of residential neighborhoods, commercial buildings, and public infrastructure. There are no physical remnants of the original airfield.

Buiksloot Airfield, also known as Vliegterrein Buiksloterham, holds significant importance in early Dutch aviation history. It was one of the very first airfields in the Netherlands. Its most notable event was the 'Vliegweek' (Flying Week) held from August 26 to September 3, 1911, organized by the Eerste Nederlandsche Vliegvereeniging (First Dutch Flying Association). This event featured flight demonstrations by early aviators, including the famous Dutch aircraft designer Frits Koolhoven, showcasing the new technology to the public. The airfield served as the primary center for aviation activities in the Amsterdam area for a brief, pioneering period before the establishment of Schiphol Airport, marking the very beginning of flight in the region.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Buiksloot Airfield. The land is now a vital part of the urban fabric of Amsterdam, occupied by a major public park and dense residential areas. Re-establishing an airport at this location is physically, legally, and politically impossible due to the complete urbanization of the site and surrounding land.