Local newspaper O Liberal reported in 1920 "This week's main news is the government's planned purchase of Macao Aerial's hydroplanes, for which it has appointed a committee comprising lieutenants Carmona, Lara Reis and Rogério. On this matter, we have only one thing to say: you have our fullest support!"
American aviator David J. Dotty hired to give instruction at a flying school with two seaplanes in its fleet in 1922.
Pilots of the 1st Lisbon Macao Air Crossing - Majors Brito Pais and Sarmento de Beires plus mechanic Manuel Gouveia - arrive in Macao on 25th June, 1924.
In October 1927, Macao takes delivery of three seaplanes including the 'Santa Cruz' which made history flying the South Atlantic. They became the fleet of the Naval Aviation Centre on Taipa Island where the airport is now situated.
On 18th November 1934, Commander-Lieutenant Humberto da Cruz and mechanic Gonçalves Loberto land their craft at Areia Preta horse racing track en route to Dili from Lisbon.
On 23rd October 1936, Pan American Airways System's Martin M-130 four-engine flying boat Philippine Clipper touches down on the waters of Macao's outer harbour. It extended the transpacific route, pioneered by its sister M-130, the China Clipper in 1935, and was the first link to the China Coast.
In 1948 Cathay Pacific pioneers Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow make a muddy, ignominious belly-up landing in front of the VIP rostrum on the Areia Preta race track and decline to pursue further opportunities in the territory.
From the late 40s to the early 60s, local airline MATCO - now operating hydroplanes - plies the 37 nautical miles between Macao and Hong Kong, providing up to four flights a day by 1961. The busy waters of Hong Kong Harbour, however, force the service to close.
The single-engined 'Sagres' lands on Coloane Island after its mammoth flight from Lisbon in 1987
A 9 de janeiro de 1987 descolava de Tires (Portugal) a caminho de Macau, com 10 escalas previstas, um pequeno monomotor "Mooney" CS-ALG, baptizado de "Sagres". Era tripulado por três pilotos portugueses. Jorge Cruz, Arnaldo Leal e Prata Mendes propunham-se reviver a primeira ligação aérea Portugal-Macau, efectuada por Sarmento de Beires e Brito Pais e Gouveia em 1924 (ver outro post sobre esta viagem). O Sagres chegou a Macau às 12h45 (hora local) de 4 de Fevereiro (na imagem), após 28 dias de viagem. O pequeno monomotor encontra-se exposto no Jardim de Seac Pai Van, na ilha de Coloane, em Macau.
An Air Macao Airbus-321 touches down at the new Macao International Airport on 5th November, 1995
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