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Content accurate at time of publication
01 Aug 2011
From the first flight in 1911 to the first airport and airshow, aviation in Singapore has made remarkable strides in the last 100 years to transform the nation into the major aviation hub that it is today. As a tribute to a century of flight in Singapore, we salute the industry’s many firsts
and milestones.
1911
First demonstration flight at Race Course on March 16 (above); the site, present day Farrer Park, was chosen because it was the most level patch of grass. The British-made Bristol Boxkite biplane was piloted by Joseph Christiaens.
1929
Seletar Air Base is completed. It served as a base for the British Royal Air Force and was also the civil airport until Kallang Airport opened in 1937.
1933
The start of regular airmail service by Imperial Airways and Indian Trans-Continental Airways between London and Singapore.
1947
The starting point of Singapore Airlines’ history as Malayan Airways Limited (MAL) – it was renamed twice, first as Malaysian Airways in 1963 which became Malaysia-Singapore
Airlines (MSA) in 1966. The first MAL Airspeed Consul, VR-SCD, took off from Kallang Airport on May 1.
1955
Payar Lebar Airport (above, right) opens on August 20 to replace Kallang Airport (above, left). It served as Singapore’s international airport until it was transformed into a military air base in 1980.
1961
Singapore holds its first international airshow at Paya Lebar (above). Then minister of culture, the late S. Rajaratnam, predicts that Singapore’s could be among the world’s great airports.
