Vivian Walsh (aviator)
Vivian Claude Walsh (1888–1950) was a New Zealand engineer. Vivian and his English-born elder brother Austin Leonard (Leo) Walsh (1881–1951) were pioneers of New Zealand aviation. The Walsh brothers were sons of immigrants from Yorkshire to New Zealand. Vivian and Leo built a British Howard Wright biplane, which Vivian first flew on 5 February 1911. This was the first recognised powered flight made in New Zealand. They established the New Zealand Flying School in 1915 to train pilots for the Royal Flying Corps, building their own series of flying boat trainers. He made pioneering airmail, air passenger, and air survey flights, but was unable to make these commercially viable, and in 1924 he sold the New Zealand Flying School assets to the New Zealand Government, and gave up all involvement in aviation. Vivian died in 1950, and Leo in 1951. The Auckland Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society, concerned to preserve the memory of the brothers' contribution, formed the Wa ...
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Walsh Brothers (14828198731)
The New Zealand Flying School was formed in 1915, by the Vivian Walsh (aviator), Walsh Brothers, Leo and Vivian, to train pilots for the Royal Flying Corps. The school flew a fleet of home-built and imported flying boats from Mission Bay, New Zealand, Mission Bay on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, near where a sculpturnow stands to commemorate the Walsh brothers. Over 100 pilots trained at the school, most of them going on to serve in the First World War, including ace Keith Caldwell. The flying school was sold to the New Zealand Government in 1924 after struggling to survive after the end of the First World War, war. History The flying school first began operating from a shed in Ōrākei, taking the first three pupils on 2 October 1915. On 28 November 1915, the school moved to Mission Bay, New Zealand, Mission Bay, and for many years operated adjacent to the Melanesian Mission. The first regular student intake was in 1916. Between 1915 and when the school closed in September 19 ...
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