Vecihi Hürkuş (6 January 1895 - 16 July 1969) was the first civil aviator in Turkey. He also built the first airplane in Turkey. Born in Istanbul, he fought during World War I. When he returned to Yeşilköy he was injured. Subsequently he joined Tayyare Mektebi, the Ottoman aviation school. Soon after receiving his pilot certificate he commenced bombing and reconnaissance missions against the Russians. In one of these sorties he shot down a Russian airplane, becoming the first Turkish pilot to bring down an enemy aircraft. He founded Hürkuş Havayollari (Freebird Airlines) in 1954.