Singapore's first paying passenger on a flight was millionaire American, W. Van Lear Black who had sponsored this pioneering journey, the first intercontinental flight around the world. Van Lear Black landed at Balestier plain on 29 June 1927, at about 11 am. The flight came eight years after the first plane landed in Singapore and preceded the first commercial flight by three years.
W. Van Lear Black of Baltimore, United States, was a financier-cum-businessman who became an aviation pioneer when in 1927, he proved that civil aviation could bring passengers around the world . He chartered the Dutch Fokker 7a Monoplane (with French-made "Jupiter" 400 H.P. engine) of the Royal Dutch Air Service (later KLM), from Holland to Batavia, to see the Far East. Apart from his personal valet, those who landed with him included the crew, Chief pilot G. J. Geysendorffer and co-pilot A.B. Scholte, and German engineer Weber.
It took them 14 days to travel from London, during which time the plane was never airborne for longer than eight and a half hours a day. The plane encircled the Balestier Plain several times before finally landing and breaking its tailpiece.
By about 5 pm, large crowds gathered on the scene for autographs, and policemen were called to assist in crowd control. At 7 pm engineer Weber returned with the repaired tailpiece which they re-instated. After engine parts had been cleaned, oiled and replaced, in the early hours of the morning at about 4 am, was there finally rest for the repair team. The chief pilot arrived at 6 am that morning and a decision was made with the other two to fly the plane to the Race Course for final take off to Batavia. On the first attempt, the pilot could not clear the height of the Balestier Road, and had to turn and re-land. The space was altogether too small to allow take-off of such a heavy machine. After unloading weight like aircraft seats, spare gear and even utensils, the pilot was then successful in getting the plane airborne in his second attempt. At the Race Course, the aircraft was reloaded and refitted in time for their 8 am departure on 30 June 1927. A crowd of well-wishers were there for the send-off, including Governor Sir Hugh Clifford and members of the diplomatic corp.
Author
Vernon Cornelius
References
Hutton, P. (1981). Wings over Singapore: The story of Singapore Changi Airport (pp. 20-221). Singapore: MPH Magazines.
(Call no.: RSING 387.736095957 HUT)
Singapore fly-past: A pictorial review of civil aviation in Singapore, 1911-1981 (pp. 11, 18). (1982). Singapore: MPH Magazines
(Call no.: RSING 387.7095957 SIN)
Tyers, R. K. (1976). Singapore, then & now (pp. 477-478). Singapore: University Education Press.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959.57 TYE)
(1927, June 30). [Microfilm: NL 555]. The Straits Times, p. 9.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. (n.d.). History. Retrieved February 2, 2005, from www.klm.com/corporate_en/index.jsp
Further Readings
Maryland Historical Society Library. (2001). Van Lear Black Collection. Retrieved December 9, 2002, from www.mdhs.org/library/fotofind/PP0153lnk.html
The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
