Vecihi Hürkuş and the founding of the Turkish Aviation Society

The Turkish Aviation Society (Türk Tayyare Cemiyeti) was established on February 16, 1925, following orders from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and under the leadership of Bolu Deputy Cevat Abbas Bey Gürer. Vecihi Hürkuş was appointed to lead the Technical Branch on March 15, 1925.

Through public donation campaigns, the society acquired its first two aircraft: an Italian-made Ansaldo A-300 A1 with a Fiat engine, funded by donations from the people of Ceyhan, Adana, and a French Caudron C-59.

To support the development of a planned flight school, Vecihi Hürkuş recommended the recruitment of engineer and pilot Şakir Hazım Ergökmen and aircraft mechanic İrfan Berkmen, known as ‘Küçük İrfan’. Berkmen’s transition from the Air Force to the society at Hürkuş’s request became a subject of discussion during a central committee meeting in August 1925.