Cecil Arthur Butler (1902 - 1980)[1] was an Australian businessman who established Butler Air Transport Co.
Cecil Arthur Butler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 8 June 1902  |
| Died | 13 April 1980 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Aircraft pilot |
| Awards | |
Buttler was born in Warwickshire, England, and migrated to Australia with his family in about 1910.[1] In 1917 he was apprenticed to become a tool, jig and gauge maker at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory. In 1921 he transferred to the Australian Aircraft & Engineering Co. Ltd at Mascot, Sydney. In 1923 he obtained his ground engineer's licence,[1] in 1927, his pilot's licence.[1]
In 1930 he designed, built and tested a small, all-metal, high-winged monoplane.[1][2] In 1931, he piloted a Comper Swift from England to Australia in the record time of 9 days, 1 hours and 40 minutes.[3] In 1934 with the financial help of his wife's uncle, P. S. Garling,[4] he won the tender for the Charleville (Queensland) to Cootamundra (New South Wales) leg of the England-Australia airmail route, servicing the route with DH.84 Dragon aircraft.[1] Four years later, with the successful completion of the contract, his company, Butler Air Transport Co. continued as a civil airline, serving centres in New South Wales and Queensland.[1] The airline later became Airlines of New South Wales.[5]
In 1958 he became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)[5]
Gallery
edit-
Butler being congratulated by crowd at Lithgow, after his England-Australia record breaking flight -
Butler and the Comper Swift, 1931
Publications
edit- C. Arthur Butler, Flight : memoirs, 1912-1958, Wikidata Q108355035
- C. Arthur Butler (1971), Flying start : the history of the first five decades of civil aviation in Australia, Wikidata Q108354444
See also
editButler Air Transport for the story of the civil airline he founded and managed.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Marchant, Sylvia, "Butler, Cecil Arthur (1902-1980)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 1 September 2021
- ^ "ARTHUR BUTLER'S MONOPLANE". Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933). 14 October 1930. p. 19. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "ARTHUR BUTLER". Wheatbelt Wheatsheaf and Dampier Advocate (Merredin, WA : 1930 - 1939). 17 November 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "MR. P. S. GARLING". Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954). 28 January 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ a b Centre, The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research. "Butler, Cecil Arthur - Biographical entry - Encyclopedia of Australian Science". www.eoas.info. Retrieved 1 September 2021.