Ioana Cantacuzino

Ioana Cantacuzino attends primary school courses in Călimăneşti, Vâlcea, and high school studies in France.

She learned to fly in double command in August 1928, having as an instructor lt. Octav Oculeanu, and obtained, in 1930, the second degree patent, thus becoming the first patented woman in Romania. Even though performances were achieved between 1931-1932 and the Conference of the International Aeronautical Federation was organized in Bucharest, the "Mircea Cantacuzino" School went through the hardest period of its existence, being on the verge of dissolution. The situation was due, first of all, to the international economic crisis, which automatically had repercussions on contributions and donations. However, the school did not close, even after the death of Mircea Cantacuzino, and, despite the financial difficulties, it functioned led by Ioana Cantacuzino, who thus became the first woman administrator of an aviation school in Romania.

In 1933, supported by old collaborators, Ioana Cantacuzino opens the school's courses with her own apparatus plus an airplane received from A.R.P.A.. She sets up the association headquarters in Bucharest where she organizes and develops an aviation library originally started by Mircea, the book collection being available to the public. In order to promote aeronautics, the "Mircea Cantacuzino" Association takes part with its planes in various air rallies. The first tourist competition organized in Romania, "Cupa Tempo", sponsored by the newspaper of the same name and supported by the Association, appears.xs

In 1940, the "Mircea Cantacuzino" School was unjustly abolished. Ioana Cantacuzino retires to Călimăneşti Castle, where, after the war, she is constantly under surveillance by the Security. She died in 1951.