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The Royal Dutch Airlines, or KLM for short, have long been regarded as our national pride and joy. The fact that the airline was able to grow into one of the largest in the world is partly thanks to Albert Plesman. Plesman (1889-1953) is considered one of the most important aviation pioneers. In 1919, he organised the First Aviation Exhibition in Amsterdam. This exhibition was the prelude to the establishment of KLM. Plesman was one of its directors and after the Second World War, its president.

After his death in 1953, a committee was formed to erect a monument. The committee's initial idea was to create a statue that would commemorate Plesman and, at the same time, represent civil aviation. Four renowned sculptors were asked to make a design. In the end, they did not produce the desired result. The committee then abandoned the depiction of aviation and commissioned Mari Andriessen to design a monument to Plesman.

The choice for Andriessen was not surprising. The monument had to represent daring, strength, perseverance and self-confidence, all characteristics of Plesman. Andriessen had proven with his sculptures, including 'the Dockworker' in Amsterdam, that he was capable of this. He depicted Plesman in his purest form: arms on his back, leaning into the wind and with his head up and his gaze fixed on an aeroplane in the air. Even though it is made up of coarse splotches, the likeness is clear.

On 7 October 1959, the monument was unveiled on the corner of Professor Teldersweg and Plesmanweg. That location was chosen together with Andriessen. The sculptor even took a dummy made of cardboard to see how the monument would best contrast with the KLM office building behind it. In 1967, road improvements prompted the decision to move the sculpture to the entrance to the St. Hubertus Park on the Plesmanweg.