Ronald "Rudi" Elwin Kappel (8 November 1926 – 6 October 1959) was a Surinamese pilot.

[2] He also helped construct the Zorg en Hoop Airport, and the Rudi Kappel Airstrip.

[5] In 1950, Kappel met Leendert Jägers, director of Ypenburg Airport near the Hague, with whom he had wanted to establish the first Surinamese airline company.

In order to expand operations, van Eyck sold his factory, and the Zorg en Hoop Airport in Paramaribo was constructed.

The goal of the expedition was to examine the flora and fauna of the savanna around the mountain, and whether an airstrip could be built there.

[14][15] In February 1959, Operation Grasshopper was announced which intended to map the natural resources in the interior of Suriname.

[18] On 6 October 1959, Fajks and Kappel set off from Tafelberg to Paloemeu in an Aero Commander 520 with registration "PZ-TAG" to deliver cargo for Operation Grasshopper.

In the fog, one of the engines failed, causing the aircraft to crash into a hill several kilometres from Paloemeu Airstrip.

[22][23] On 11 February 2017, a bust of Kappel which was sculpted by Erwin de Vries was placed near the terminal of Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport.