CHRONOLOGY OF MALAYSIA AVIATION HISTORY

I will simply introduce Malaysia Aviation History in chronological way...



1898
A balloonist kumped off the top of a government building in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur and crashed at the edge of the Selangor Padang Club.

1911
G.P Fuller made the first recorded flight in Malaya and landed his Antoinette Monoplane at the race course in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

1922
A Dutch "flying vessel" (in reality a flying boat) made its appearance in Belaga, Sarawak.

1924
First civil aircraft in Malaya, a Fokker FVII of Koninkujke Luchvaat Maaeschapaj (KLM) landed on a bumpy grass strip in Alor Setar, Kedah.

1928
Alor Setar became the centre of aviation activities in Malaya when KLM made regular fortnightly services.

1929
Alor Setar and Taiping were the first two British built airstrips in Malaya.

10 May 1929
Aviation first came to Kuala Lumpur when the inaugural meeting of the Malayan Aeroplane Club (later became Kuala Lumpur Flying Club) was held in the Malay States Volunteer Reserve Mess. The efforts of the Flying Club (Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Penang) were supported by the Straits Settlement Goverment, with hourly instruction and solo flights costing RM9.00 and RM6.00 respectively.

1933
An Imperial Airways's Armstrong Whitley Atlanta aircraft, "Aurora" which landed at Sungai besi Airfield, was probably the first commersial aircraft of an international service to use the aerodrome.
The Sungai Besi Airfield(originally an old tin tailing mine covered by grass) was one of the two airship located in Selangor, the other being at Port Sweetenham (now Port Klang).

1935
Management unit for Civil Aviation formed, headed by Director of Public Works Department Singapore.

29 September 1935
Opening of Penang Civil aerodrome- a 950 yard macadamized strip and 800 yard grass strip.

1936
Improvement of Sungai Besi Airfield, which was commissioned as an all-purpose landing ground and was licensed for light and medium aircraft.

28 June 1937
Opening of Wearne's Air Services thrice weekly schedule services between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang with a twin-engine De Havilland Dragon Rapide Bi-plane, named "Governor Raffles". The plane could carry only five passengers. The fares, as advertised for the three sectors, were Rm30.00 (Singapore - Kuala Lumpur), RM50.00 (Singapore - Penang) and RM30.00 (Penang-Kuala Lumpur).

21 October 1937
Incorporation of Malayan Airways Limited (MAL) 1937 Bintulu airstrip built - located right in the centre of town.

1938
Ipoh airstrip built. The Kuching airstrip built in the same year, but reconstructed 12 years later. On 26 September 1950, the Governor of Sarawak officially opened it.

1941-1945
Outbreak of Pacific War All aircraft engaged in civil aviation were requisitioned by the Government, practically halting all internal air services. The Japanese, as well as the British before them, had, for war purposes, built a large number of airstrips (e.g. Kota Kinabalu formerly Jesselton, Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Sibu, Kuantan and Labuan) and extended existing ones.

1947
DCA was formed in Singapore. The first Director was Mr. E.S.Storror.

2 April 1947
First paying passenger flights on Malayan Airways Limited (MAL) aircraft.

1 May 1947
Introduction of MAL's flights, Penang - Kuala Lumpur - Ipoh, using Airspeed Consul and later DC-3; and to Batavia (Jakarta), Medan, Palembang and Saigon during end of 1947.

1948
Expansion of Kuala Lumpur Airport at Sungai Besi. Air Traffic Control conducted for DCA by British Army. Kuala Terengganu airstrip built.

6 October 1952
Opening of Malacca Airport - the eight airport to be constructed in Malaya after the war. The introduction of Federation Air Services to provide domestic services.

1953
DCA formed in Kuala Lumpur under the Director General of Civil Aviation, Federation of Malaya. DCA emplaced under Ministry of Post and Telecommunication.

1956
Upgrading of Kuala Lumpur Airport at Sungai Besi to international airport status when the first flight to Europe took off in a Bristol Britannia (turbo propeller).

1957
Federation of Malaya became a Contracting State of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). A total of 130,000 passengers used the 8 airports in Malaya.

1958
TUDM received their first aircraft Scottish Aviation Twin-pioneer FM 1001 (nickname Lang Rajawali).

1959
Proposal to construct the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Subang mooted.

16 September 1963
Formation of Malaysia.

27 November 1963
Renaming of MAL to Malaysian Airways Limited.

30 August 1965
Official opening of Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Subang.

1966
TUDM received their first Jet Fighter Canadian CL-41G (nickname Tebuan)

30 December 1966
Formation of Malaysia - Singapore Airways (MSA).

1968
Opening of Tawau and Miri Airports.

1969
TUDM received 12 CAC Avon Saber from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

1 October 1971
Official launching of Malaysian Airlines System (MAS).

1972
Malaysia Airlines System officially launched to the skies.

1974
Opening of Sultan Ismail Airport, Johor Bahru.

1 January 1975
Department of Civil Aviation managing 20 airports on self-accounting entity.

1976
DCA became a self-accounting department under Ministry of Transport.

1980
Upgrading of Civil Aviation Traning Centre to Civil Aviation College in Penang. Traning confined more to aviation needs - air traffic control, aeronautical communications, fire fighting and aviation security.

3 April 1982
Launching ceremony for the first MAS B747 at Terminal 2, Subang, Kuala Lumpur.

1986
Opening of the new terminal building at Kota Kinabalu.

1987
Expansion of Langkawi International Airport.

1989
Opening of the upgraded Ipoh Airport with a new terminal to accommodate B737 operations.

1991
Passing of a Bill by Parliament to split DCA into two separate entitles - a corporatized Malaysia Airport Berhad and the government DCA as the regulatory authority, In July, announcement of the proposal plan to construct the KL International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang.

1 November 1992
Birth of Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB) to operate, manage and maintain 5 international, 14 domestic airports and 15 STOL ports. DCA remained as the regulatory authority of civil aviation in terms of technical, safety and operational standards.

16 December 1993
Opening of Terminal 3, Subang - Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Later, Terminal 1 was designed for international traffic; Terminal 2 for Singapore shuttle; and Terminal 3 for domestic traffic.

1994
Opening of New Sibu Airport, Sarawak.

27 June 1998
Official opening of new KL International Airport (KLIA).

2003
Opening of new Bintulu Airport.

2004
Opening of new STOL port in Pulau Redang.

2005
The new Limbang Airport was launched. The airport was upgraded from STOL-port status.

2006
The LCCT - KLIA Terminal was opened to cater for the operations of low-cost airlines.

2006
Official opening of new terminal at Kuching International Airport.

2007
TUDM received its first Fourth Generation fighter SUKOI-30MK.

2007 
Malaysia first Angkasawan (Sheikh Muszaphar Skuhar) traveled to International Space Station in Soyuz TMA-11.