Jan Kašpar was a Czech engineer, a pioneer of Czech aviation and the most famous of the first Czech aircraft constructors and pilots. He became particularly famous for his pioneering long-distance flights.
From an early age he was interested in technology and already had his own motorcycle in 1900. He studied mechanical engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague (1901-1907) and after passing the state examination he completed one semester of higher automotive school in Germany.
After returning to Bohemia, he took up employment at the Laurin & Klement car factory in Mladá Boleslav, but on July 1, 1909 he left Laurinka and returned to his native Pardubice, where he devoted himself to aircraft construction together with his cousin Ing. Evžen Čihák.
His first attempts to construct a monoplane were inspired by the Antoinette model of French designer Hubert Latham. In 1909, during the construction of his own monoplane, Kašpar heard about Blériot’s successful flight from Calais to Dover. Kašpar completed his own aircraft but was unable to take off.
He therefore decided to buy a Blériot XI (No. 76) from a French manufacturer. At first he equipped the Blériot XI with his own engine, but later switched to an engine made by Anzani. On April 16, 1910 Kašpar made his first successful flight with the Blériot XI.