After 1910, YEAR RICH IN EVENTS, started in the immediately previous post, followed THE FIRST KILOMETER PERFORMED BY VLAICU, already translated under this topic.
And then the text continues:
THE AIRPORT FROM CHITILA
In April 1910, at Chitila, a lawyer from Braila, Mihail Cerkez, a man with progressive views and fascinated by the science of aviation, is founding an airport. Cerkez succeeded to make partners at his association some more friends from Braila: Panas, Gigi Petcu, Iancu Mavrodin, Stefan Cerchez, etc. The airport was one of the best equipped for that era, as seen in the photos we show here.
Cerchez brought the first "Farman" airplanes, one "Wilbur Wright" airplane (without wheels, with pillar) and one "Santos Dumont".
In August everything was ready and in the day of 15 took place the inauguration of the first airport in Romania.
In the presentation of that moment - appeared in the newspaper "The morning" (Dimineata) - it was mentioned, among others, the following regarding the great event:
"Around 6:30 AM, after the present persons visited the hangars were the airplanes are sheltered, the aviation experiences started.
Mr. Molla, a French pilot, flied with a Farman biplane. The first testing flight was a complete success. But the second flight exceeded all expectations.
Immediately after the motor was set to run, the airplane took off reaching a high altitude, flying for about 15 minutes.
The airplane disappeared beyond the horizon and then returned making the tour of the airport. As in the first flight, the aviator landed very smoothly on the starting point.
This flight turned into enthusiasts the present persons and the pilot Molla was in the center of a warm show of esteem and friendliness.
Champagne and sandwiches were served. Toasts were said for the progress of aviation, for the initiator of the first Romanian airport, Mr. Cerkez, and for mass-media.
Then Mr. Molla and the French mechanics hired for the airport became the object of a generous show of appreciation.
The celebration ended at 7:30 PM, when the people present returned to the capital.
Starting with today, the airport is accessible to the public.
The Farman biplane used yesterday by the pilot Molla is built in the workshops belonging to the new Romanian airport".
We have to add that Molla was the first aviator flying over Bucharest.
***end of translation***
Note 1: Vlaicu performed his first flight 3 weeks earlier, at Saturday, July 21st, 1910, at Cotroceni (see a previous post). Maybe because he did not exceed the limits of the Cotroceni fields, the comment in 1939 says that "Molla was the first aviator flying over Bucharest".
Note 2: In the text above is mentioned one "Wilbur Wright" airplane (without wheels, with pillar). The pillar is the system with the heavy weight of few thousands kilograms / pounds, which during its dropping ensured a huge starting pull to the Wilbur Wright airplane. Without that exterior mechanical help, the Wilbur Wright airplane was a sitting duck, as proved by the reenactment performed during last Autumn/Fall (2003) in the United States.
The test flight performed by Traian Vuia with the plane designed and built by him, in March 1906 at Paris and mentioned by some French reporters, witnesses of the event, in their newspapers, was the first time when an airplane with motor took off using just its own motor, and no exterior mechanical help. Moreover, Vuia's plane had wheels, and not a guiding rail as in the case of the Wright plane. The wings in Vuia's plane were foldable, because the inventor wanted to use it also as an automobile - a daring concept even today. For any of you who may ask What was so important if it lifted itself, or with exterior help?: The motors at the eve of 20th century had such a poor power to weight ratio, that even an institution as the French Academy mentioned officially that an airplane with motor cannot leave the ground. After Vuia's test flights, in March and the following months, infirmed this, the members of the French Academy witnessed few months later, and gave the official blessing, to the flight of Santos-Dumont's plane, inspired after the one did by Vuia.
And now, returning to the airport started at Chitila by Mr. Mihail Cerkez and his friends from Braila... The explanation under photo is: "The first "H. Farman" airplane built in the workshops from Chitila. It was flying excellently." |
