Owen Roberts (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Owen "Bobby" Roberts (Circa 1912 - April 10, 1953) was an RAF Wing Commander noted 20th-Century aviator and founder of Caribbean International Airlines. Owen Roberts International Airport
in George Town
on Grand Cayman
is named after him.
; Kingston, Jamaica
; and Belize
. He worked to lobby Cayman Islands Commissioners Ivor Smith and Andrew Gerrard to build airfields on all three of the Cayman Islands. In 1952, construction started on an official airstrip at an estimated cost of £93,000. On November 28, 1952 with a crowd of several hundred onlookers, Roberts piloted a PBY Catalina
to a perfect landing on the partially completed airport runway. Within six months after that landing, Roberts had acquired two used Lockheed Lodestar
airliners purchased to keep up with the competition whose interest was now piqued by the soon-to-be completed airfield at George Town.
The inaugural flight of CIA, Ltd. from Kingston, Jamaica to Grand Cayman was set for April 10, 1953. Tragically, however, the Lodestar piloted by Roberts crashed on takeoff from Palisadoes
Airport. 13 people, including the 40 year-old Roberts, were killed. The only survivor of the crash was Roberts' brother-in-law, Lt. Col. Edward Remington-Hobbs. Roberts was survived by a wife, Patricia, and their two daughters, in London
.
Owen Roberts International Airport
Owen Roberts International Airport is an airport located in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. It is the main international airport for the Cayman Islands as well as the main base for Cayman Airways...
in George Town
George Town, Cayman Islands
George Town, Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. The city has a population of 35,600 and is the largest city on Grand Cayman....
on Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
is named after him.
Aviator and pioneer
Roberts flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and was a Wing Commander during WWII. Following the war, Roberts founded Caribbean International Airways, Ltd. By 1950, Roberts had established regular service between Cayman and Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
; Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
; and Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. He worked to lobby Cayman Islands Commissioners Ivor Smith and Andrew Gerrard to build airfields on all three of the Cayman Islands. In 1952, construction started on an official airstrip at an estimated cost of £93,000. On November 28, 1952 with a crowd of several hundred onlookers, Roberts piloted a PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
to a perfect landing on the partially completed airport runway. Within six months after that landing, Roberts had acquired two used Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.-Design and development:The prototype of the Lockheed Model 18, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed Model 14 Super Electras which had been returned to the manufacturer by...
airliners purchased to keep up with the competition whose interest was now piqued by the soon-to-be completed airfield at George Town.
The inaugural flight of CIA, Ltd. from Kingston, Jamaica to Grand Cayman was set for April 10, 1953. Tragically, however, the Lodestar piloted by Roberts crashed on takeoff from Palisadoes
Palisadoes
Palisadoes is the thin tombolo of sand that serves as a natural protection for Kingston Harbour, Jamaica. Norman Manley International Airport and the historic town of Port Royal are both on Palisadoes....
Airport. 13 people, including the 40 year-old Roberts, were killed. The only survivor of the crash was Roberts' brother-in-law, Lt. Col. Edward Remington-Hobbs. Roberts was survived by a wife, Patricia, and their two daughters, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.