The First Air Journey – Portugal-Macau

An exhibition produced by the Portugal Air Museum, Museu do Ar, has been opened in the Finnish Air Force Museum. The exhibition is about the first flight from Portugal to Macau, carried out between April 7 and June 20, 1924.

102 years ago, three Portuguese aviation pioneers took on an unprecedented challenge. The route, flown in an open-cockpit Breguet aircraft, crossed North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, and proved extremely demanding. Along the way, the pilots faced numerous technical problems, hazardous weather conditions, and dramatic turning points, including the destruction of their original aircraft Pátria in India.

The exhibition presents this remarkable aviation achievement in detail. Photographs, maps, and newspaper clippings shed light on the careful planning of the journey, the personal stories of the pilots, and the technical and human challenges of 1920s aviation.

The first flight from Portugal to Macau required courage, perseverance, and international cooperation. It is also a story of aviators who brought the distant East a little closer to Europe.