AUREL VLAICU 6 November 1882, Bintinti-Hunedoara - 13 September 1913, Banesti-Campina Mechanical Engineer, Airplane Builder and Pilot Text courtesy of Mihai Radu

Aurel Vlaicu Photo courtesy of Aurelian Simionescu, 1-17-07

Education      Aurel Vlaicu attended primary school in his native village of Bintinti. Next he attended high school at Orastie and Sibiu. In 1902 he entered the Polytechnic School of Budapest, and in 1903 he studied at the Polytechnic School of Munchen.

 

	Glider 1909	Vlaicu 1 1910	Vlaicu 2 1911	Vlaicu 3 1913

 

Aurel Vlaicu - Romanian pilot Postcard image courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, 2-18-07

 

ONLINE RESOURCES If you search the internet using Google on "Aurel Vlaicu", (11-1-04), you will find about 395 links. Most of them are available in English. If time permits, I suggest that you sample a number of them. If time is limited, you might want to start with the three which are cited below.

 

Delta Wing, Romanian Air Force Connection      If you click on the title above, you will find yourself on the homepage of the Romania Air Force. This extensive website has a section on "History" which has links to biographies of Traian Vuia, Henri Coanda, Rodrig Goliescu, Aurel Vlaicu and Hermann Oberth. You will find comprehensive biographies for each of these pioneer flyers, along with some wonderful photographs. You can access the site by clicking on the title.      If time permits, I suggest that you sample some of the many other interesting features of the site such as: Latest Updates, Video, Photo Gallery, Romanian Air Force, Training, Projects, Romanian Aces and many more.

 

Aurel Vlaicu      This page on the Orastie City, Transylvania, Romania website, where Aurel attended High School, offers a nice picture of him sitting in his Vlaicu 2 and a brief biography. If you have the time, you might want to go to the homepage and sample some of the many pictures of the city and the surrounding country. You can access his story and the picture by clicking on the title above.

 

The Romanian Air Corps in WWI      This page on the Axis History Forum website, offers a very interesting and comprhensive revue of the Romanian Air Corps submitted by "Victor.". It includes mention of many of the pioneer aviators who are found on the pages of my website, including Aurel Vlaicu. As a background for a more complete understanding of the stories of each individual aviator, I found it to very helpful. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

 

Aurel Vlaicu Banknote

Aurel Vlaicu Banknote Photo courtesy Aurelian Simionescu, 1-17-07

ONLINE RESOURCES - 2      The four links below were suggested to me by Aurelian Simionescu.

AUREL VLAICU (11-22-05)       This page offers a nice revue of his life and career and includes two photographs of his planes. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

Vlaicu 2 (11-22-05)       Aurelian included the following comment regarding this webpage:      "This page offers a photograph taken inside the Romanian National Military Museum in Bucharest, showing a full-size replica of the Vlaicu 2 airplane."       You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

 

Aurel Vlaicu From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2-7-06)       This entry in Wikipedia offers a nice resume of his life and career and includes links to more details on many of the items and terms in the article. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

 

An Improved Flying Machine      This link was also suggested by Aurelian Simionescu and leads to a copy of the original application for a patent by Aurel Vlaicu in 1911-08-31. You will find a list of the characteristics of his plane in his own language. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

Aurel Vlaicu died in Banesti-Campina, September 13, 1913   Editor's Note: If you have any information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 

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