Unveiling of the Tadija Sondermajer bust

17.06.2017.

The bust of Tadija Sondermajer, the greatest serbian aviator of the 20th century, was unveiled in the city park on the corners of Palmotićeva and Koste Stojanovića streets in Belgrade, in commemoration of the 90 years since the establishment of the first Serbian airline "Aeroput". Unveiling was held on the 17th of June in Belgrade as a part of the project titled „In the honor of serbian airmen giants“. As a part of the manifestation, which was organized by the Association of Liner Pilots of Serbia, memorial plaque dedicated to Sondermajer and Archibald Rajs was unveiled followed by the formal ceremony.
The bust was unveiled by the representatives of the istitutions which supported the project realization – deputy mayor of Belgrade Andreja Mladenović, manager of the Directorate of Civil Aviation Mirjana Čizmarov, as well as director of Air Serbia Dane Kondić

Unveiling of the Tadija Sondermajer and dr Archibald Reiss memorial plaque, at the entrance of the Aeroclub building in Uzun Mirkova street has been doe by the members of Sondermajer family, the Association of Liner Pilots of Serbia and National Aeroclub of Serbia "Our Wings".
The event was ended by the ceremony in the Aeroclub where the awards and recognitions have been handed.!

- I've been given a great honor to take a part in the unveiling of the bust of a serbian aviaton pionir Tadija Sondermajer, a single most important man for the foundation and development of civil and sport aviaton in Yugoslavian history. His accomplishments have been forever written in the history of Serbia and its aviaton, whereas its national avio company Air Serbia writes its own history following the footsteps of their glorious forefathers" – mayor of Belgrade, Siniša Mali, pointed out.

He also added that Tadija Sondermajer was one of the founders and for many years manager of the Air Traffic Society „Aeroput”, the first serbian and yugoslavian commercial air company which was the foundation of civil aviation in these parts of the world.

With the great sence of pride we remember his military and civil aviation accomplishments. During one of the air battles in the Second World War he was shot down and earned scars for the whole life. He was a member of the elite french combat unit „Storks“. After the war he continued his schooling in Paris where he became the first serbian professionaly educated air engineer – pointed out the mayor also saying that Tadija made his mark in the history of the world aviation in 1927., with his historical flight Paris – Bombay – Belgrade when he flew 14.800 kilometers, and thus became one of the first pilots in history which succesfully performed transcontinental flight. It is less known fact that the reason for this achievement was Tadijas whish to gather money for the foundation of aviation company, which was later to be known as „Aeroput”.

Dane Kondić, general manager of Air Serbia said that not only that Tadija Sondermajer introduced these parts of the world in the history of aviation, but was also a very successful businessman.

– Twenty years to this day Sondermajer founded the first serbian aviation company „Aeroput”. The grand tradition of that company is contionued by the Air Serbia, which today represents one of the eight oldest aviation companies in the world still in operation today – said Kondić.

Velimir Isaković, the president of the Association of Liner Pilots of Serbia expressed his gratitude on associations behalf to the project participants, national avio company Air Serbia as well as directorate of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Serbia for recognising a spirit of making a legacy to the generations to come, significance of its historical background as well as enabling quick realization of this project through active participation.