Jan Kaspar (Czech: Jan Kašpar, 20 May 1883 – 2 March 1927) was born into a wealthy family of a hotel owner in Pradubice. He is known as the first Czech aviator, aeronautical engineer, and designer.
From his early childhood he was interested in sports, especially cycling and horse riding. After graduation at the Prague Technical University, he went to Germany, where he expanded his education and focused on engine design. Later he worked in a factory producing parts for Zeppelin airships. When he witnessed the take-off of the famous French aviator, inventor and engineer Louis Blériot in Vienna, his desire to fly and make it in aviation was awakened. In 1909, Louis Blériot made his first flight across the English Channel.
Kaspar built his own monoplane, inspired by the Antoinette model of French aviator Hubert Latham. He had problems taking off with this plane, some of his first attempts ended disastrously, once almost costing him his life.
That's why he bought the tried-and-tested Blériot XI (No. 76). After his theoretical training in France, he taught himself to fly, but never attempted to pass his pilot's test. On 16 April 1910 he made a two-kilometre flight in Pardubice with Blériot XI aeroplane.
Jan Kaspar together with a mechanic built their own working aeroplane, named a JK. The first test flight of this plane took place in April 1911 from Pardubice to Chrudim (20 km).
Kaspar achieved his greatest success on 13 May 1911, when he made a flight from Pardubice to Prague, covering the distance of 121 km in 92 minutes at an average speed of 78 km per hour. This flight represented a major milestone, as it was the longest recorded flight in the then Austria-Hungary. He also made the first flight with a passenger, from Melnik to Prague-Chuchle.
In June 1911, Kaspar performed the first public demonstration flight show in the Czech lands and added several more before the end of the year. His cousin Eugen Cihak completed his pilot training in the spring of 1911, and from September 1911 they organised joint air shows. During a flight in October 1911, an engine failed in a sharp turn and the plane crashed. Kaspar survived, but subsequently reduced his flying activities and flew publicly for the last time on 28 July 1912.
In 1913, his father died and changed family circumstances forced Kaspar to stop active flying. After the WW I he became a co-owner of a woodworking factory. He died in 1927 of pneumonia.
Source:
1) Wikipedia
2) Pavel Sviták: První český letec inženýr Jan Kašpar a začátky českého letectví, 2003
3) J. Balej, P. Sviták, P. Plocek: Historie letectví, průkopníci světové aviatiky od antiky do r. 1914, CPress, Brno 2012
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