Memory Lane of Bengal Aviation reveals that after Twenty Six years of Wright Brother’s first flight. On Feb 02, 1929 the governor of Bengal Sir Stanley Jackson opened the Bengal Flying Club in India at the Dum Dum Aerodrome. Of India placed the grounds at Dum Dum at the disposal of the club and granted them two Gipsy Moth Aeroplanes. The club owed a great deal to Sir Rajendra Nath Mukherjee who wa
s the instrumental in formation of the Club. That day three light Aircraft flew in formation and in one of the Aircraft Princess Ila Devi, elder daughter of Maharani of “Cooch Behar” flew as a passenger. Very soon the aviation in Bengal became a popular sport.
2. The First air training institute in eastern India, the Behala Flying Club was set up by Mr. Later the flying club was acquired by Govt. Of West Bengal and was renamed as Flying Training Institute. It will be pertinent to mention that the first woman pilot Smt. Durba Banerjee was also a member of this Institution.
3. “Flying Club” at Behala and “All India Aero modellers Association” at Kolkata provided immense support to the Aero minded youth of the state in general and Aero Sports in particular. Mid Seventies to mid eighties there was gradual decay in these activities and since last twenty years aero sports related activities had almost become extinct in the state-the state which was once the pioneer of Aero Sports in India.
4. Against the above back drop the “Aero Sports Association of Bengal” (ASAB) was born and registered in Feb’ 2012 after a year of ground work by a dozen of private and military aviators and keen aero modellers. The club motto is “Fly to Freedom” and the objective is to bring awareness, provide support, help to learn and be the guide to the young generation both in urban and rural Bengal in the field of Aero Sports.
5. On 23rd April 2012, the association was inaugurated through a befitting ceremony and display of static and flying aero models. Air Marshal S Vartaman PVSM AVSM VM VSM AOC-in C Eastern Air Command was the chief guest along with other eminent personalities.
6. Association took its first step to revive, the flying of aero models by its members. Constrain of area to fly aero models was finally solved with the help of GOC Bengal Area who provided NOC for its members to fly at RCTC ground within the defined rules.
7. During the last six months the association has also travelled to urban areas and demonstrated aero modelling shows to spread the awareness of aero sports. Such aero modelling display in the urban area has been welcomed with great enthusiasm by the young generation. Within the short period the association has grown from its eight founder members to more than sixty members of varied age. The Association is now looking forward to organize more numbers of flying areas, conduct organized aero modelling display and add further aero sports.
8. The Association is working relentlessly to fulfil its objectives and its commitment to spread the motto of “Fly to Freedom”, so that it can kindle the mind of future young generation in Nobel sports.
