When the first aeroplane roared into Ratmalana, 90 years ago
November 27 will mark the 90th anniversary of the first aeroplane to land at Ratmalana aerodrome.
Ninety years earlier on that morning in 1935, a DH. 80A Puss Moth, registered VT-ACB belonging to the Madras Flying Club, one of the two premier flying schools in India, landed at the newly constructed Ratmalana aerodrome which had a grass landing area of 600 square yards. At the controls was the Club’s Chief Instructor, Lt. Harold L’Estrange Tyndale-Biscoe, a former officer of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War 1.
With Harold were two passengers: Walter Scheilter and a young Ceylonese, Cyrus Darios. As they stepped out of the cockpit, the crowds “cheered wildly”, and members of the Ceylon Aero Club together with other invited guests gave them a rousing welcome.
How the newspapers of the day reported the red letter day
Cyrus threw himself into the arms of his father, J. L. S. Darios, a retired postmaster. Overcome with emotion, he had burst into tears when he had heard the sound of the aeroplane’s engine.
“The historic landing opened a new chapter for Ceylon’s aviation – Ratmalana would go to serve as the nation’s gateway to the skies for decades to come.” (Times of Ceylon)
Harold’s first impression of the new aerodrome was that it was, “a beautiful sight, and as good as any aerodrome in India.”
The first hanger built to house aircraft with folding wings
How it all began
The first flights in Ceylon took place in 1911 when a German, Franz Oster, flew a Rumpler Taube from the Colombo Racecourse. (Flight Magazine, 6 January 1912, page 14)
The following year, two Frenchmen, George Verminck and Marc Pourpe, demonstrated two French-built Blériot aircraft.
Although seaplanes and flying boats had occasionally visited Ceylon between 1924 –1927, it was not until 1931 that the island witnessed a truly historic landplane arrival. A de Havilland Puss Moth, registered G-AAXJ and operated by India’s Tata Airlines, touched down on a makeshift landing strip at the Colombo Racecourse. At the controls was veteran pilot Neville Vintcent who was with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) later with the Royal Air Force (RAF), then flying for Tata Airlines. On this historic flight he was accompanied by a Ceylonese aviator, Mohamed Zubay Caffoor, who had earned his flying qualification in England just the previous year. This flight is widely regarded as a milestone, opening the door to a new chapter in Ceylon’s civil aviation history.
Nov 27, 1935, Ratmalana: Lt. Harold Tyndale-Biscoe and Cyrus Darios stepped out of the cockpit to the wild cheers of the crowd (Times)
In the following year, Vintcent serving as the Deputy Director of Civil Aviation in India in addition to his position as Manager, Tata Airlines, arrived at the Racecourse accompanied by Sir Frederick Tymms, the Director of Civil Aviation, himself an ex-RFC pilot. They met with the Colonial Government officials to discuss the establishment of an airport at Ratmalana, as the British government in London was eager to extend its Empire Air Mail Service to Ceylon.
These visits prompted the Government to identify and develop a suitable site for Ceylon’s first airport.
Inauguration of the Empire Air Mail service
A survey
In 1933, Capt. Armitage, an officer of the Royal Engineers from India conducted an inspection of an area about 15 km south of Colombo, then heavily cultivated with rubber and coconut, to explore the possibility of establishing an aerodrome. He submitted a preliminary plan, and in 1934, further detailed proposals were prepared by the Director of Public Works in Ceylon.
At this stage, John Kotelawala (later Sir and the third Prime Minister of Ceylon) then a Member of Parliament became involved in the project. He requested the Mudaliyar of the Salpiti Korale to provide a full valuation of the site.
The initial plan was to acquire approximately 172 acres. However, on the recommendation of Capt. Armitage, it was decided that an additional 65 acres would also be required.
Crowds waiting for the official opening of Ceylon’s air mail service (Times)
The cost
The initial estimate for acquiring and levelling the land was Rs. 163,000. This estimate, however, triggered a complicated series of events involving multiple valuations, discrepancies, and legal disputes. The situation eventually escalated to the point where a formal Commission was appointed to investigate and address the issues surrounding the valuation and acquisition process. In 1934, further detailed plans were developed by the Director of Public Works in Ceylon.
The land
Much of the land was in the hands of K. M. N. S. P. Nachiappa Chettiar, who held 194 acres. Smaller parcels were owned by John Kotelawala with 17 acres, and L.W.A. de Soysa with just two acres.
When the Government Valuer placed the land’s worth at Rs. 254,759, Chettiar strongly objected. He had first been offered Rs. 157,530, but insisted his property was worth nearly double that – Rs. 375,571. The dispute inevitably found its way into court. After much argument, the judges awarded him Rs. 305,800, together with interest at six percent from the date of occupation, as well as legal costs.
By the time the dust settled, the “Rs. 163,000 project” had cost the government no less than Rs. 561,950.
Work on the aerodrome began in August 1934, with the hope that by Christmas, “air mails will be delivered direct by air”.
“It is understood that an RAF officer from India will shortly arrive to supervise the work, and that the aerodrome will be constructed along the lines of a terminus similar to London’s Airport, with police and customs stations as well as immigration and quarantine facilities. A passenger service will be introduced later, if there is sufficient demand. The Aero Club, which was organised some years ago but has been unable to make progress owing to the lack of a landing ground, will also be accommodated,” a government communiqué announced.
During this period a hangar to house aircraft with folding wings was built.
As it happened, the aerodrome was ready to receive its first visitor in November 1935.
(The Times of Ceylon, Thursday evening, 31 March 1966, page No 19 )
Early visitors
Once the aerodrome was commissioned on 27 November 1935, Ratmalana saw frequent ad-hoc flights, mainly by Indian flying clubs. Some of these involved Ceylonese trainees building up their flying hours in order to qualify for commercial licences to carry passengers. Tata Airlines also began operating charter services with passengers.
First Ceylon registered aeroplane
A significant milestone took place on August 1, 1936, when the first Ceylon-registered aircraft (VP-CAA, a home-built HM.14 Pou-du-Ciel ‘Flying Flea’) owned by Gordon Armstrong, made a short flight within the parameters of the aerodrome.
Delayed Christmas Mail, 1936
On December 23, 1936, a Tata Airlines newly acquired ‘Miles Merlin’ aircraft arrived at Ratmalana to collect the Christmas mail destined for Europe. The regular Imperial Airways flight from London to Karachi had been delayed, disrupting the onward connection. To ensure timely delivery, the Tata aircraft transported the mail to Karachi, where it was transferred to the London-bound service.
On its return flight, the same aircraft carried the Christmas mail for Ceylon back to Colombo, ensuring that it reached its destination without further delay.
At that time, mail to and from Ceylon was conveyed by air as far as Madras, and thereafter by rail between Madras and Colombo.
Air Mail conference
On January 18, 1937, Sir Frederick Tymms together with Mr. Walters, the Postmaster General of India, Mr. Dawoor of the Indian Postal Department, and Nevill Vintcent, pilot for Tata Airlines, flew to Ratmalana aerodrome to discuss with the government the arrangements for extending the Empire Air Mail Service to Ceylon which required a fully-fledged ‘airport’.
Empire Air Mail Service inaugurated
Colombo, February 28, 1938 was a red-letter day in Ceylon’s aviation history when the Governor, Sir Andrew Caldecott, GCMG. KStJ, officially declared open the Ratmalana Aerodrome as an airport amidst a large and distinguished gathering.
The occasion also marked the inauguration of the Empire Air Mail Service (EAMS), establishing Ceylon’s vital link in the Imperial airmail network connecting Karachi, India and beyond.
To mark the occasion, Sir Andrew handed over the first three bags of air mail from Ratmalana to Captain Figgins, Flight Superintendent of Tata Airlines and pilot of the Waco biplane. The flight, launched under the newly introduced service, carried the mail to Karachi via Madras, Bellary—then an Indian Army outpost—and Bombay.
That day two Waco biplanes were stationed at Ratmalana for the inaugural flight, one held in reserve to ensure the service proceeded without interruption in the event of any last minute technical difficulty.
In February 1939, Minister John Kotelawala announced in Parliament that in the 11 months since the Empire Air Mail Service had begun operating from Ratmalana, 450 aircraft had used the airport, carrying 161 passengers and over 43 tons of mail. He secured the approval of the Ceylon State Council for Rs. 314,000 “in order to bring Ratmalana Airport in line with international standards”. (Times of Ceylon)
Although plans were drawn up in February 1939, construction was delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Next week: Part two – Weathering different wars
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