Dragutin Novak Dragutin Karlo Novak ( Zagreb , February 16 , 1892 - Zagreb , October 31 , 1978 ) , was first person in Croatia to make a heavier - than - air flight . He flew a plane constructed by Slavoljub Eduard Penkala , June 22 , 1910 . Novak flew in an airplane made by constructor Slavoljub Penkala from the military training - field in Črnomerec , Zagreb . Later , during one of Novak ' s flying achievements , on 20 October 1910 , the airplane was damaged and Penkala gave up aircraft design . Childhood and youth . Novak was born in Zagreb , in Ilica 19 street . During his youth , his parents died so his aunt cared for him , " harmonizing " his life . He attended elementary school in Zagreb , then went to convent school in Tropavy ( Silesia ) . He then continued in mechanical trade , specializing in mechanics . In 1910 , he left Zagreb and went to his sister in Budapest , where he was successful in an airplane competition . Shortly afterwards , he returned Zagreb and took employment in the business of Slavoljub Penkala , who was engaged in the construction of airplanes , becoming his right hand in manufacturing and proving the flight characteristics until the first flight in Croatia . He worked there until Penkala ’ s decision to abandon further work on airplanes . Flying in the sky of Zagreb . He was invited to join photographer and entrepreneur Mihajlo Merčep , who had a hangar next to with Penkala ’ s . He brought his brothers Joško and Edvard Rusjan from Slovenia to Zagreb . Financially aided by Merčep , they started to build their own airplane . ( Otherwise , in spite of the impression created in and about a part of the community , mainly by his merit , Mihajlo Merčep bad never taken to flying himself , nor he was a constructor or similarly ; he was the entrepreneur who decided to share the glory of Edvard Rusjan and later of Dragutin Novak , deciding that the future of aviation is knocking on the door . ) Novak joined them and helped in the construction and building of an airplane . By the end of 1910 , Edvard Rusjan was test flying over Zagreb . After Edvard Rusjan was killed in Beograd , in 1911 , Novak worked with Joško Rusjan on the handful of versions of Rusjan ' s airplanes ( now Merčep – Rusjan ' s ) , and essentially improved the controls for the pitch ( elevators ) and roll ( ailerons ) . Second aviation competition . On one of those airplanes , Novak on the 20 and 21 1911 , won the best degree on the Second aviation competition in Budapest . He took to flying over Zagreb , Osijek and Budapest . Later , he was awarded the winning award – in 1912 – during an aero - meeting in Graz , where he crashed . He was abandoned by fame - thirsty boss Merčep , who even left him alone in a hospital . That was the point of no return in their cooperation . After leaving the hospital , Novak worked in the Puch factory . In 1913 , he returned to Croatia , and was employed as a motor - mechanic near Križevci . First World War . At the end of 1914 , Novak went to military service . After a short period of service in the army ( infantry ) he was transferred to the air force of the Austria - Hungarian kingdom . He won the Gold medal for courage and bravery , and then the Argent Medal first class , the title of " Fieldpilot " and the Cross with wreath . At the beginning of 1916 , after he was wounded during an air battle ( when after an explosion near the airplane he went deaf in the left ear ) , he was promoted to the post of flight - teacher in the most important military - pilot school in the Monarchy in the Wiener Neustadt . He won pilot ' s degrees for military and civil services . After the end of the First World War he refused to serve in the Austrian army , and returnedto his family . Broken wings . He permanently stopped flying , and he was never again in the air even as a passenger . With his family he moved to Križevci where for a short while he worked in a steam - powered flour - mill , then he returned to Zagreb and wasg employed at the Anatomy institute of the Medicine faculty . In 1923 , he was again in Križevci working in the town ' s electric power plant . In 1927 , he founded in Križevci his own transport enterprise , providing a bus and taxi service . After 1945 , he remained without his auto - park and in 1948 he became director of the city auto - bus enterprise in Križevci . From 1949 to his retirement in 1954 , he worked in agricultural engineering , again in Križevci . After 50 years , in 1970 , he returned to his home town Zagreb , together with the family . He died in his 86th year of life , on 31 October 1978 . Summary . After the year of 1918 , he was systematically passed over in silence as a person who did so much in the history of Croatian aviation . Thanking to the right motivation and intervention of his family and enthusiasts , his peculiar contribution to the life of citizens was awarded by his insertion in the Croatian encyclopedia " LZMK " ( 7th volume ) , and in a short time from now he will be included in the Croatian biographical lexicon . A TV documentary was made and broadcast in 2000 ( " Dragutin Novak - first Croatian flyer " ) . Near Lučkoairport there is a street named after him . The city of Križevci honored with a memory - plate on the house in which he had lived and worked , and by naming the neighboring promenade Dragutin Novak . The local aero - club is named after him .