Georges Nélis, Belgium’s first military pilot , was one of the founders of Sabena, the Belgian national airline.
More about his life and legacy in the comments! 👇
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1riu47n
Posted by WarHeritageInstitute
Georges Nélis, Belgium’s first military pilot , was one of the founders of Sabena, the Belgian national airline.
More about his life and legacy in the comments! 👇
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1riu47n
Posted by WarHeritageInstitute
3 Comments
On this day in 1929, Georges Nélis — Belgium’s first military pilot — passed away. A true visionary, he’s still regarded as the father of Belgian aviation.
Nélis laid the foundations of Belgian military aviation: he established the flight school, gave theory lessons, and guided a new generation of pilots.
After World War I, he helped create Sabena, Belgium’s national airline. Under his influence, Sabena became a globally recognized brand and a pioneer in international aviation, connecting Belgium to the world. The flights to Africa brought the airline both prestige and a strong reputation. During the Congolese independence in 1960, Sabena evacuated around 35,000 fellow Belgians in just 18 days.
In the Military Museum in Brussels, you can discover original Sabena planes, uniforms, and other artifacts that highlight the impact Georges Nélis had on Belgian aviation.
Never heard of this dude, but I also can’t fly, so make of that what you will.
Dude looks fly.