TWO weeks of activities will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first ever aeroplane flight in Guyana, Director of Air Navigation Services of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Ms. Artie Heeralall has announced. The schedule of celebrations will begin on March 18 and end on March 30, under the theme ‘Recognising the past: Advancing the future.’
During the period, March 24, will mark 100 years since the 1913 day when a German/American named George Schmitt took off in a makeshift aircraft from the Bel Air Park race course.
That flight was amidst the ambience of a holiday atmosphere of large gaily dressed crowds and dignitaries and tooting of horns by ships in the Demerara River and bits of coloured paper streaming from the plane as it soared in the skies over Georgetown.
Schmitt died in the United States (U.S.) in a crash with the same aeroplane the next year.
Heeralall disclosed that the packed programme is being finalised to mark “the humble birth of a dynamic local industry.”

Industry partners
The commemorative activities are being spearheaded by the GCAA but involves collaboration with all local aviation companies and industry partners, she said.
According to her:“This is not merely about the GCAA. This is a collaborative effort by all aviation. Aviation has changed the lives of all of us and we will be coming together to showcase this sector for that two-week period.”
Heeralall disclosed that in the week commencing  March 18, the team will concentrate on career talks, exhibitions and sports.
“The second week, the week starting March 24 is really the week when we are going to have the bulk of our activities relative to aviation and its 100th anniversary,” she explained.
Heeralall said plans are presently being made by stakeholders and will be fully outlined by Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Zulfikar Mohamed on February 14.