(Source image: Postcard from a private collection).
On 17 December this year will mark 107 years of the first recorded airplane flight in history, after two mechanics of a bicycle shop, the famous brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright, achieved ground up and for some moments of self-propelled ship that opened the way to global aviation successfully and pass the roller over the doomsayers academicians who were proclaiming that anything heavier than air could take flight. I was Flyer , Also called Kitty Hawk and Wright Flyer. Curiously, this plane is in the proud original exhibition in the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum , in circumstances that the Smithsonian was one of the organisms from which more heavily defended the dogma about the inability of blowing machines, even to expel Professor Langley for disagreeing with this idea.
In turn, this year marks a century since the first domestic flight, performed by the aviator César Copette the August 21, 1910, in a plain area of \u200b\u200bProvidencia, which then was an area in the rural outskirts of the city of Santiago.
As can be calculated, this flight pioneer in Chilean aviation history happened just seven years after the Wrights had made and spent only four years of experience of the Brazilian Alberto Santos Dumont with the hoist in the air epic French 14-bis, 23 October 1906, first flight take-off itself without external propulsion mechanisms of departure.
In 2003, the centennial of the Wright brothers' flight, was held in Santiago de Chile a series of talks organized by the Center Lircay Historical Studies in units of the Providence Club and the University Aula Magna of Bernardo O'Higgins, entitled "Evocation of the great global aviation pioneer José Luis Sánchez Besa, and national aviation pioneers." Participated in these interesting days descendants of Chilean aviation pioneers, the National Museum of Air and Space and the Circle of Friends of Cultural Heritage of Chile. There I had the opportunity to meet children of Luis Omar Page and Dagoberto Godoy, while confirming the importance that Chileans were the pioneers of aviation with respect to the international history of the conquest of the sky, as was portrayed also a special on the global aviation cultural channel Discovery Channel, also on the anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight.
Well, one of the names that were praised during these talks was that of Caesar Copette Brossier, who devote this posting because of the importance of the dates this year are celebrating the centenary of his brave deed aviation industry which almost coincides in timing with the Bicentennial whose central date is approaching.
Amid this same obsession bicentennial, however, have been rather few references to this important episode of our history. Except for cases like a series of exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts last year, the greatness of the Chilean aviation pioneer has not had the deserved recognition of other cultural institutions or other areas have been covered with enough slack in these months ( not to mention soccer). In fact, be celebrating the bicentennial with historic Los Cerrillos Airport (the same one where Copette died also) sadly dismantled for an eccentric mega real estate, real attack on the Chilean civil aviation, largely reflects the apathy with which still looking at this important stage in Chile written for international aviation.
César Copette Brossier (Source image: exposure "Evocation of the great global aviation pioneer José Luis Sánchez Besa, and national aviation pioneers" of the Centre for Historical Studies Lircay).
FIRST FLIGHT SEARCH OF CHILEAN
fever by blowing machines heavier than air, had arrived early to Chile. In 1909, for example, the German mechanical Bischkus Max had built a crude and heavy winged object with a 15 HP engine, mounted on a structure about 15 feet from where it would be dropped to make its maiden flight in the Parque Cousino in Santiago. For several days, attracted the curious generating excitement and uncertainty, because many volunteers had helped to finance such a strange business.
happened, however, the same day that the plane was going to be tested, a wing dawn destroyed, perhaps by the action of anonymous hands. It is believed, however, that the Bischkus gadget ever could have taken flight because it did not fit or the rudimentary knowledge of aerodynamics of those years.
Still, pending issue of a flight had been installed in Chilean society. And if the global aviation pioneers were two brothers gringos with a workshop, here in Chile were the brothers Felix and Cesar Copette which, even from his own workshop began to think about getting the deed to the business projections you might have for them. Oreste Plath notes that, as was the case of Wright, the Chilean aviation pioneers were also related to the repair of bicycles and cycling, as Copette, Luis Alberto Acevedo and Dagoberto Godoy. The aircraft is perhaps the result of the development of more bicycle that other means of transport.
This repair shop of the brothers, sons of a French family, was located in Calle Ejercito Libertador 755, and there are dedicated to provide maintenance and support cars for newly arrived in Chile. There was still this place by mid-century, named "Garage Copette" according to a text by Enrique Flores in "Aviation History of Chile", 1950.
concurred that two young Chilean entrepreneurs David Echevarria and Miguel Covarrubias, had returned from France carrying a biplane recently acquired the Voisin wood, metal and gender, with a Gnome motor 50 HP. The idea of \u200b\u200bboth was that Chile could celebrate the centenary with a flight of aircraft including, falling into the hands of the Copette realize this adventure.
Copette brothers and their assistants, skilled in mechanics, managed to set it up on a farm in the commune of Providencia, relatively close to the actual Plaza Egaña, almost no public attention, and without the international publicity that other pioneers had sought about their exploits, even before being made.
Museum Photo Archive Aeronautical taken on August 20, 1910, one before the first flight in the farm Chacra Valparaíso. Observed at the center of the aircraft owner Don Voisin David Echeverría, right Copette siblings and left behind Beltran Gabriel Tisné and Robin.
Copette 's feat
Aided by his colleagues and friends, Copette arrived that afternoon to make final inspections of their aircraft. Young man, very thin, big nose and long whiskers, looked more like a boy trying to prove some of their new bikes and not an expensive flight equipment, the best, could turn his life into a myth and, the worst, take it away tragically.
The plane light appearance and hybrid forms between a dragonfly and a large bird, was against a plain or pasture in the Chacra Valparaíso farm of 240 acres venue chosen for the flight. property belonged to Mrs. Eloisa María de la Cruz, who leased it to Don Ramon Cruz Montt, illustrious neighbor sector that gave its name to the surrounding street that passes for the former field.
Don David Echeverria remained oblivious to the preparations for the feat that was to be with his airplane, working with adventurous. Copette Caesar also had the assistance of his brother, who was present, and the technical team consisting of mechanical Beltran Gabriel Tisné and Robin, all the anxiety that would participate in a historic milestone that would legend.
They few curious addition to those named, but with cameras to record. To everyone's amazement, however, got Copette: mark the day August 21, 1910 as one in the beginning of the national aviation history, just missing a little over a month for the big celebration of the First Centennial of the Republic.
So Chileans and flew to celebrate our first century of independence.
is not clear how Copette flew, but most sources say it was around 10 meters. Flight tests must not have been extended more than a few minutes. The story of a witness the flight, which is reproduced by the historian and writer Alfonso Calderon in his excellent essay, "When 100 years old Chile", reads as follows:
"His great white wings, tail , its keel, made him look like a giant bird's full. At bottom, the famous Gnome motor and on the ground the chassis of aterrissage magnificent lines completed device. "
The news swelled with pride and national sentiment Copette, with its look gullible and somewhat ungainly appearance, became a celebrity, appearing caricatures portrayed in various news media.
image
flight in the former estate Chacra Valparaíso. (Source image: exposure "Evocation of the great global aviation pioneer José Luis Sánchez Besa, and national aviation pioneers" of the Centre for Historical Studies Lircay)
an old pisco elquino 1915. Is it a tribute to Copette or another of the national aviation pioneers? (Image Source: Private collection).
AFTER LANDMARK
After the episode of self and self-advocate young airman, Copette began to be called "Don Caesar" within the nascent aviation environment, in recognition of its prestige. He passionately continued to develop these technologies, when his brother returned to the workshops to produce their own models of aircraft for commercial purposes. Followed with some more tests in the farm Chacra Valparaíso, reaching create the model Batuco , first to meet the requirements to get on a plane formed to imitate or surpass the achievement of previous and in which Luis Omar Page also inscribe his own feat in the history of aviation.
Meanwhile, other pioneers followed the trail with its own milestones in the domestic and international aviation, as Bartholomew Cattaneo, Luis Alberto Acevedo, Eduardo Molina Clodomiro Figueroa and, in fact, made his famous flight in the aircraft Burrito , also built in the workshop of the Copette in 1912. Acevedo, in turn, is advised by your mechanic Frenchman Pierre Coemme for their flights on the Bleriot maintaining armed and waiting in the Parque Cousino, the same year. Death overtook him, however, in an attempt to unite on a flight Santiago to Concepcion, a fateful April 13, 1913, becoming the first martyr of the brand new Chilean aviation history. Tragic fate that was also the famous Lieutenant Alejandro Silva Bello, the "lost" Lieutenant Bennett, who disappeared on March 9, 1914 trying to unite the forest with Cartagena. Were the costs that the risk of these new technologies earned the most courageous and bold.
Amid this by aviation boom, created the Aero Club of Chile, on March 29, 1913. The line of development among the civilian heroes and military heroes of aviation was becoming more subdued in this period of infancy. Attention and progress generated by these events led to Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez to create in 1928, the Aero Club of Chile and the following year Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica which, when extended to Puerto Montt and Aysen, gave rise to the National Airline. The success of the visionary decisions Merino Benitez succeeded, in 1930, the creation of Chile's Air Force and the Bureau of Aeronautics, the current Civil Aviation Directorate.
Unfortunately, César Copette died tragically when he saw consolidated domestic aviation on Sunday 27 October 1940. Individual flights had become their regular means of transport and taking off early to the Cerrillos eropuerto in his old ship Morane Parasol, she began to have problems raining down on the area of \u200b\u200baccess to the air base. He was rushed to the Post 3 of Public Assistance, but got over the severe injuries, leaving this world with his final flight, the last of all.
was buried in the mausoleum of the French Society of General Cemetery and erected a monument in his memory at the place where he lost his life, a tribute to years later disappeared or was removed.
César Copette Clodomiro Figueroa and Henry French mechanical Goudou, along with the "Valparaiso", in The Mirror, in 1913. (Source image: exposure "Evocation of the great global aviation pioneer José Luis Sánchez Besa, and national aviation pioneers" of the Centre for Historical Studies Lircay).
Luis Omar Page on a plane "Batucada" by Copette built in 1914. (Source image: exposure "Evocation of the great global aviation pioneer José Luis Sánchez Besa, and national aviation pioneers" of the Centre for Historical Studies Lircay).
THE HISTORICAL FARM IN THE NEWS
After Copette epic flight, he founded Chacra Valparaíso remained in the hands of Eloisa Dona Maria de la Cruz and administered by Ramon Cruz. He remained at large as a productive land with agricultural workers, as Ñuñoa in those years was still a rural area only partially urbanized.
In the "Album of the Area Central de Chile. Agricultural information ", 1923, he founded Chacra Valparaíso listed as a major producer of alfalfa and potatoes, plus a prestigious and award-winning Dutch-bred cattle, milk production traded in Santiago. The land would have counted too, until his death, a breeding of plants and flowers fine, plus fruit trees, with comfortable cabins for visitors and passengers. with these characteristics are maintained until about the fifties, when the city changes defintivamente reached.
followed Chacra Valparaíso being surrounded by urbanization over the years, and now his most recognizable part of the original in the field of Irarrázaval to Ramon Cruz. One of the streets that corresponded to their land still retains the name of Valparaiso, on the east side of it.
Since 1968, the most important sector kept the former estate was converted into a spacious plaza dubbed Park Ramon Cruz, constituting one of the outdoor recreation major avenue known Irarrázaval after bohemian Plaza and Plaza Ñuñoa Egaña, more identified with the trade. It should be noted that the park was opened along with the Villa Frei, the same year, by President Eduardo Frei, former farm because everything had been entirely altered by the new landscaping plan considering urban and residential areas.
Ramon Cruz Park is recognizable since then the large trees and palms. It was expanded in 1981, but coexisting peacefully in their boundaries with the Villa Frei. There seems to be competition between its green areas, totaling nearly 40 thousand square meters, and residential areas surrounding it. It is a quiet place where neighbors often leave their children to entertain at various playgrounds have been installed there.
Vista current ex farm, Ramón Cruz Park today.
View from the North of the green areas of the park.
monolith FEAT IN THE PARK
Fortunately, it has not been forgotten in this place the significance of this historic site with the events of 1910. For this reason, a polished stone monolith commemorating the feat of Copette was installed there in the corner of the park, on the corner of Ramon Cruz Irarrázaval by the Aeronautical Research Institute of Chile on the anniversary of August 21, 1985. Of note is the ongoing effort that has made both the Institute and the National Aeronautical Museum to preserve the memory and the memory of this epic, and a handful of other institutions.
immortalizing such an event, says the text engraved on the stone plaque placed on Park Ramon Cruz:
"FROM THIS PLACE IN THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 21, 1910 ROSE FOR THE FIRST TIME AN AIRPLANE IN CHILE Piloted by DON CESAR Copette Brossier "
do not know what happened to the original plate stone monolith that had this inscription, but on the anniversary of May 21, 1997 was appended a new larger, which retrieves the message from above but below added a new greeting to the memory of Copette and the first domestic flight, this time by the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics:
"IN RECOGNITION ACHIEVED BY THE PILOT FEAT DON CESAR Copette Brossier THE GOVERNMENT OF CHILE BY DS N º 330 OF 22 FEB 1997 INSTITUTED THE ANNIVERSARY DATE OF THIS FEAT AS OFFICIAL DAY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION.
Every year on the anniversary of flight, the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Aviation Technical School, the Institute Aviation Historical Research of Chile and the municipal authorities made there in the monolith of the park a gathering in memory of these key pages of the Chilean aviation history.
ex founded Monolith Memorial Chacra Valparaíso.
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