On March 16th, 1911, aviation history was made as the first aircraft departed from the country. This significant event was part of a flight demonstration that occurred during the first-ever aviation meet held in Singapore and would be the building foundations for how the country's aviation industry eventually blossomed into what it is today. But who was the pilot that flew this historic flight?
A Belgian racecar driver turned pilot
Piloting Singapore's maiden flight was Josef Henri Charles Christiaens, a Belgian engineer and racecar driver born in 1882. Growing up, racing became an early interest for Josef, and he began his racing career in his early 20s in 1905. His racing career would last over a decade as he participated in various events that would take him all over Europe and the US until his unfortunate death during a racecar test drive in February 1919.
But before his premature death, Josef would transition ever so slightly from racecar driver to becoming a pilot after a coincidental meeting with British-French aviator Henri Farman in 1908, and the Voisin 1907 biplane sparked his interest in flying. A few years later in March 1910, Josef would go on to meet Peruvian aviator Jorge Antonio Chávez Dartnell during an event in France.
Since Josef had already developed an interest in flying, he decided to learn how to fly on a Farman aircraft with the help of Jorge. And just a month later in April 1910, Josef was registered with a Belgian Pilot's License and became one of the first 11 pilots of the Aéro-Club de Belgique. No more was Josef just touring the world for racecar events where he would drive; he was also jetting out on tours for aviation events where he would fly for races.
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Piloting a modified biplane in Singapore
Eventually, Josef secured a job as a concessionaire for the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, which produced the Bristol Boxkite aircraft - a modified version of the Henri Farman biplane. As part of his job, Josef had a few Bristol Boxkite aircraft in his possession and would switch from touring for aviation races to touring for flight demonstrations and sales purposes.
During one of his tours in the East Indies in 1911, Josef found himself making a slightly diverted stop in Singapore after the British Colonial Government invited him to the country's first-ever aviation meeting in March. In conjunction with the British War Office, the British Colonial Government was curious to see how well the Bristol Boxkite would perform, as they intended to order four to use as an elementary training aircraft.
Back then, Singapore had no commercial airports or runways, and transport to the small island was primarily by sea, which was how Josef and his British-built aircraft were ferried. Considering how flying was more of a rare 'recreational sport,' Josef was asked to conduct his demonstration flight at the old Race Course - a sports and recreational hub primarily used for equestrian activities.
That's right, Josef taxied, flew his Bristol Boxkite from the grass, and became the first-ever to fly an aircraft in Singapore. For the Belgian pilot, it was just another one of his demonstration flights that were part of his job; but for Singapore, it was the critical ignition for the country to kick-start its journey in building its aviation industry.