Airmail by night
Freight and mail are usually carried during off-peak times – but they have been flying by night only for exactly 90 years: the world's first night-time air link took off in the night from 14 to 15 April 1930. The Fokkker D.VII was piloted by Prosper Cocquyt (1900-1954), who transported letters between Brussels and London for Sabena, Belgium's national airline (1923-2001).
The aviation pioneer was the first Belgian pilot to have a licence for blind flying. Five years later he was the driving force behind the introduction of scheduled services between Belgium and its Congo colony. After the war, he launched Sabena's first transatlantic service.
The first scheduled airmail service was born back in February 1911, as Henri Péquet flew letters back and forth on the 10 km route between Allahabad and Naini in India, but only in the 1920ties did pilots dare to fly by night to reduce turnover times. (ah)