June 7, 1926 - makes his first solo flight (Avro 548N)
October 23, 1926 - graduates from flight school (pilot)
1927 - flies the ADC.1 and the DH9A.
May 25, 1930 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
1930 - promoted to rank of Virsnieku Vietnieks (Warrant Officer)
1931 - Assigned to the 1st Fighter Squadron, flying the Ansaldo Balilla, later the Bristol Bulldog. He continues to
appear on their roster at least until 1933.
1934 - Ulmanis seizes power in Latvia, and Abolins is the Duty Officer at the Aviation Regiment on that evening and was the
one who received the command to place the Regiment on military alert.
1936 - resigns from the Aviation Regiment, but remains very active in Aizsargu aviation and other private aviation enterprises.
July 19, 1936 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Matisi.
1936 - serves as a flight instructor in the Latvian Aero Club sport flight school.
June 25, 1936 - makes the first test flight of the VEF I-11 (YL-AAX), which later became the prototype
for the I-12.
August 2, 1936 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Rujiena.
August 9, 1936 - participates (as glider tug pilot) in the Aviation Festival at Ventspils.
August 11, 1936 - he departs (again flying the glider tug) for an Aviation Festival in Lithuania, but for some
reason the glider became uncoupled from the tug near Ugale and it crashed, cancelling the remainder of the trip.
August 30, 1936 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Lutrini.
September 18, 1936 - flies the tow plane "Vanags" which brings Fricis Tramdachs and the new Kondor glider to Jelgava.
December 4, 1936 - the 2nd graduating class of the Latvian Aero Club's sport flying program complete their studies, and
Abolins was one of their (total three) instructors.
February 11, 1937 - selected as one of three pilots assigned to the Ministry of Air Transport to fly the
De Havilland DH89s of the Valsts Gaisa Satiksme. He is demoblized from the Aviation Regiment to
permit him to take on this role.
May 16 - 17, 1937 - with F.Sprogis (and passenger A.Argalis) they fly the two new DH 89s from Hatfield, England to Riga.
Abolins had spent three months in England becoming familiar with the multi-engined aircraft and its operation. He soloed on
his third flight in the DH 89 but, as three months had been allotted for the training, he had a great deal of time to become
familiar and comfortable with the new type. They also took this opportunity to complete the night/instrument flying courses.
from 1937 - 1940 he spent a great deal of time abroad, test flying and evaluating other nation's aircraft for
purchase by the Latvian Air Force. Did not fly during WW2.
November 28, 1938 - the 3rd graduating class of the Latvian Aero Club's sport flying program complete their studies, and
Abolins was one of their (total three) instructors.
After the war, emigrated to Sweden.
January 24, 1995 - Died in Upsala, Sweden.
Sources
- Aviacijas Svetki (1932) Programma, pg.7
- Aviacijas Svetki (1935) Programma, pg.10
- Briedis, A. Latviesa Stasts
- Bruvelis, Edvins Latvijas Aviacijas Vesture
- Irbitis, K. Of Struggle and Flight
- Latvijas Kareivis May 22, 1930
- Sparnota Latvija, No.33 (Mar 1937) pg.85
- Sparnota Latvija, No.62 (Aug 1939) pg.276
