Felix Rigau Carrera Honored for Hispanic Heritage Month

PEACHTREE CITY, USA –  Hispanic Heritage Month is held from September 15 to October 15, and Aventure is proud to honor the legacy and impact of Felix Rigau Carrera, the first Puerto Rican pilot.

Also known as El Águila de Sabana Grande (The Eagle from Sabana Grande), he was born and raised in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, and grew up with an interest in mechanics and aviation from an early age. 

After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, Rigau Carrera enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the aviation section of the Army’s Signal Corps, where he would become a pilot. He continued flight training in Seattle and Minneapolis following his discharge, and enlisted in the U.S. Marines during World War I. 

He saw action in France, where he became both the first Puerto Rican to operate a fixed-wing aircraft and the first Hispanic-American fighter pilot of the U.S. Marines. 

After the war, Rigau Carrera bought his own airplane, and became the first Puerto Rican to pilot a plane over his home island. He would pilot sightseeing tours and perform exhibition flights. He returned to the U.S. in the 1930s, settling in Virginia. 

Rigau Carrera’s achievements paved the way for future generations of Hispanic Americans in aviation and beyond.

Historical photo of Felix Rigau Carrera in his 1920s era airplane