Mallorca is about to celebrate a centenary of air traffic on its shores. One hundred years ago, in early June, 1910, an aeroplane was brought over from Barcelona by boat. The dissembled plane was then taken by donkey cart to Son Macià, a finca near Marratxí, where a hipodrome was in existence (now long since gone). Julien Mamet, a French aviator, proceeded to demonstrate a flight to an audience of some 70,000 spellbound spectators. The plane was a Spanish built Bleriot. In fact, two flight attempts were made on June 28th. The first flight demonstration was successful, the second, however, was less fortunate, or so we are told. The Bleriot came into contact with the branches of an almond tree and had an unscheduled impact on the ground. Apart from the plane, there were luckily no casualties, barring the crowd’s turmoil and shock.

Six years later, in 1916, the first flight from Barcelona arrived in Mallorca, with Salvador Heredia at the helms, thus connecting the island with the Spanish peninsula by air for the first time. That flight took two hours and was accompanied by three ships along the way, for just in cases. In 1920, a regular commercial air connection was established. The first air passengers were brought to Mallorca in 1935 by the Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas, coming from Madrid. The first charter plane arrived here in 1946, carrying Robert Graves, the poet, amongst others.

Centennial celebrations are scheduled for June 26th/27th in Palma. Two weeks today, the Aeródromo de Son Bonet will have a day of Open Doors.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: May 12st, 2010. The time was 14:07:05. The newspaper clipping originates from Almudaina, a newspaper of the time. It was borrowed from the digital edition of diariodemallorca.

Muchas gracias.