Camilo Daza Alvarez
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Camilo Daza Álvarez (June 25, 1898 – March 18, 1975) was a Colombian
aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators because they a ...
. He was born in
Pamplona Pamplona (; ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Navarre, Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. Lying at near above sea level, the city (and the wider Cuenca de Pamplona) is located on the flood pl ...
,
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
. In 1919, he became the first Colombian to
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
an
airplane An airplane (American English), or aeroplane (Commonwealth English), informally plane, is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, Propeller (aircraft), propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a vari ...
, and is considered to be the founder of Colombian aviation. He held the rank of brigadier general in the
Colombian Air Force The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, ) is the air force of the Republic of Colombia. The Colombian Aerospace Force is one of the three institutions of the Military Forces of Colombia charged, according to the 1991 Constitution, with working to exe ...
().Brigadier General (H) Camilo Daza Álvarez
/ref> The
Camilo Daza International Airport Camilo Daza International Airport (, ) is an international airport located in Cúcuta, Colombia. It serves the Norte de Santander Department. The airport is from the center of Cúcuta. It has international facilities and is able to operate gen ...
in
Cúcuta Cúcuta (), officially San José de Cúcuta, is a Colombian municipality, capital of the department of Norte de Santander and nucleus of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta. The city is located in the homonymous valley, at the foot of the East ...
is named after him, and displays a
statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...
honoring his contributions. Also, the
air base An airbase (stylised air base in American English), sometimes referred to as a military airbase, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base, is an aerodrome or airport used as a mi ...
serving
Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar Air Command for Military Transportation (English for ''Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar'', CATAM) is major military airfield for the use of the Colombian Aerospace Force. Is located in the outskirts of Bogotá within the vicinity of El Dorad ...
(CATAM) is named in his honor.


Early life

Camilo Daza was born on June 25, 1898, and spent his childhood in Pamplona, Colombia. At the age of 8, he showed interest in aviation and attempted to fly by jumping off the roof of his father's hacienda, La Caldera, using a rack from a window. The fall resulted in him fracturing both arms, hurting his nose, getting a scar, and being unconscious for a week. Camilo also had a talent for mechanical artifacts and built a steamboat at the age of 13, which his neighbours admired as he navigated the waters near his home.


Camilo's time in Spain

Camilo's parents sent him to the Industrial School of Tarraza near Barcelona, Spain. There, he learned about aviation and became interested in it. He discovered that a pilot had crossed the English Channel and met a Spanish pilot named Salvador Elila. Despite his parents' disapproval, Camilo continued to study and work to save money. In 1919, he became the first Colombian to fly an airplane and in March 1920, he received his pilot and aviation mechanic diploma from Curtis. He later acquired an airplane named "SANTANDER" and flew it over Cúcuta on September 2, 1922. Cúcuta is also known for having the best railway, the first telephone company "Polanco", the first FORD automobile brought to the city by Italian Enrique Raffo, and the installation of the wireless tower and the first messages transmitted to Europe.


First aviation company

The first aviation company in Colombia was the Compañía Nortesantandereana de Aviación, which was established in Norte de Santander. The company was founded by fifty shareholders, including Camilo's relatives, admirers, and friends. Camilo traveled to Spain with his copilot Joaquín Cayón to purchase an airplane with a license from the French factory Cuadron with an eighty-horsepower Slamson engine. After testing the machine and learning how it worked, Camilo disassembled the airplane and packed it in wooden boxes to be shipped to Curazao. He intended to assemble the plane in Curazao and fly it directly to Cúcuta with a stopover in Maracaibo, Venezuela. After assembling and exhibiting the plane in Curazao, he declared that it would be the first commercial airplane in Colombia. However, there were difficulties in the supply chain after the flight exhibition on the island.


Personal life

Camilo Daza married Genoveva Mojica in Bucaramanga on March 27, 1926. They had a total of seven children, three boys and four girls. One of the girls died in Spain. The two older boys, Alvaro and Guillermo, pursued aviation with the same passion, with Guillermo serving as a navigator in the Atlantic for cases where Avianca had to rely on the sea.


References

2-Medina Sánchez, L. A. (1983). Cita historica, Volume 2. University of Wisconsin - Madison. Retrieved January 29, 2024, from https://www.worldcat.org/title/cita-historica/oclc/10485823&referer=brief_results {{DEFAULTSORT:Daza, Camilo Colombian Air Force Colombian generals Colombian aviators 1898 births 1975 deaths People from Pamplona, Norte de Santander