Ioana Cantacuzino

[mwm-aal-display]Ioana Cantacuzino attended primary school in Călimăneşti, Vâlcea, and secondary school in France.

Paired with instructor Lt. Octav Oculeanu, she learned to fly in August 1928, and obtains in 1930, the 2nd Class Pilot’s License becoming the first woman in Romania to hold a pilot title. Even though between 1931-1932 performances have been obtained and the World Air Sports Federation Conference took place at Bucharest, the “Mircea Cantacuzino” School of Aviation goes through a hard period of its activity, being of the bring of dissolution. The situation was due, mainly, because of the internationl economic crisis, which automaticaly created repercusions on contributions and donations. The school did not close though, not even after the death of Mircea Cantacuzino, and, despite the financial difficulties, continuing its activity conducted by Ioana Cantacuzino, which became the first women in Romania administrator of a flying school.

In 1933, supported by old collaborators, Ioana Cantacuzino opens the activity of the school with her own plane and another one received from A.R.P.A. Settles in Bucharest an office of the association where she organises and develops a library, started initially by Mircea, open to public. In order to promote the aviation, The “Mircea Cantacuzino” Association takes part with its own planes at different air shows. The first air tourism competition is organised in Romania, the “Tempo” Cup, organized by the newspaper with the same name supported by the association.

In 1940, the “Mircea Cantacuzino” School of Aviation was dissolved, most of its pilots becoming involved in the war. Ioana Cantacuzino withdrew to the Călimăneşti Villa, one that her father had built, where she died in December 1951.