About the project

Through this project we aim to present for the first time, in a unified manner, with data from personal or public archives, the history of the “Mircea Cantacuzino” School of Aviation, which marked the beginning of tourism aviation in Romania and the decisive influence that the school had in the training of the Romanian aviation elite in the middle of the 20th century. This website is part of a larger project of the Romanian Memorial Foundation Mircea and Dan Cantacuzino, dedicated to preserve the memory of the founders and the prominent members of the “Mircea Cantacuzino” School of Aviation projects which includes, among others, the publication of the book with the same name.

Ioana Cantacuzino is born

Ioana Cantacuzino was born on September 22, 1895, in Islaz, place Coltul Lung, Brăila County, Romania

Mircea Cantacuzino is born

On March 15, 1900 was born the founder of the first civilian aviation school in Romania

The first flight of a Zepellin

In July 1900, near Friedrichshafen in Germany, rises to the sky for the first time, a Zepellin

The first controlled flight with a plane

After several unsuccessful attempts, on 17 December 1903, took place the first controlled flight with a plane

The Royal Romanian Aeroclub

At the initiative of Prince George V. Bibescu, in 1920 the Royal Aeroclub of Romania is founded (R.R.A)

The School of Aviation

On May 26, 1928 the first civilian aviation school start its activity

A new addition to the school

The school’s fleet increases in September 1928 with the purchase of a Junkers type light aircraft

The first 6 pilots licensed at the school

On November 13, 1928, the first pilots trained at the School of Aviation “Mircea Cantacuzino” got their 1st Class Pilot’s License

The aviation during winter

In the winter of 1928 the students brought an innovation to the light aircraft Klemm 40 HP

The success of the school

Beginning 1929, the school started to prosper reaching a total of 20 students.

The first flight in formation

Described in the school’s documents, the first flight in formation of the Romanian tourism aviation was performed in 1929.

The school’s supervisor

In 1930, Lucien Levy becomes the school’s supervisor

The death of Mircea Cantacuzino

In 1930 the school suffers a great loss. The founder of the school dies, at only 30 years old, in an airplane crash

In memoriam Mircea Cantacuzino

Following the death of M. Cantacuzino the Association for the Development of Air Tourism “Mircea Cantacuzino” was founded

Temporary interruption of the school’s activities

Due to lack of resources, the planes of the school being decommisioned, the school is forced to interrupt it’s activity temporarily

The school resumes it’s activity

On September 21, 1932, with the help of A.R.P.A, the school’s activity resumes

The Tempo Cup

On May 23, 1936 took place, at Băneasa, the first air race organised by the Tempo Newspaper

The flight without motor section

A new section is opened at the “Mircea Cantacuzino” School of Aviation

The death of Ioana Cantacuzino

Ioana Cantacuzino died in 1951