Huang Kuang-jui (5 June 1898-), aviator, participated in the first long-distance flight made in China (1928). As commander of the Kwangtung Air Force, he helped end the 1936 revolt of Ch'en Ch'i-t'ang (q.v.) by turning over his men and their planes to the National Government. After holding such posts as the presidency of the Aviation Research Institute and the vice chairmanship of the Air Force Commission, he retired in 1946.

Although he was born in Toishan, Kwangtung, Huang was taken to the United States as a child and was educated in San Francisco's Chinatown. In 1917 he was one of a group of young Chinese selected by Yang Hsien-i to train as pilots. Yang was the leader of a group sent by Sun Yat-sen to the United States to study aviation and to recruit personnel for a new air force. He purchased two training planes and engaged an American instructor. The group of trainees included Lin Wei-ch'eng, a future commander of the Kwangsi Provincial Air Force; Ch'en Tso-lin, who became a chief staff member of the Eurasia Aviation Corporation; and Yang Kuan-yu, who, with Huang, took part in China's first long-distance flight and later became commander of the air transport corps of the Chinese air force. Because official funds had run out, the trainees had to buy fuel for the planes and pay the instructor's salary. After a year's rudimentary training in flying and mechanics, Huang Kuang-jui was attached to the T'ung-meng-hui headquarters in California, where he acted as chief technician of an armaments purchasing commission. By staging exhibitions of flying, he and his colleagues raised funds for the purchase of six old Jennie-type planes, which were dismantled and shipped back to Canton. In 1922 Sun Yat-sen established military headquarters in Canton, and Huang was ordered home to become a pilot in the flying corps, which consisted of the six old planes sent from America. They were used in Sun's numerous campaigns against the Kwangtung and Kwangsi military factions. Sometimes the aviators dropped a few hand-made bombs on the enemy, but often they simply relied on the roar of the engines to demoralize their opponents' troops. Huang Kuang-jui was made leader of this squadron in 1923, and in 1924 he became director of the Aviation Bureau. He had constant personal contact with Sun Yat-sen, who rewarded him for his services with citations and cash bonuses.

In 1926, after the death of Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek made Huang president of the new aviation academy at Ta-sha-t'ou. Early in 1927 Huang was sent to purchase planes in the Soviet Union. He was unable to carry out his mission, but he took advantage of the opportunity afforded him by attending the Second Aviation Academy, where he studied military flying for six months. On returning to China, Huang became leader of the First Squadron of the Kwangtung Air Force, which was controlled by the provincial government authorities even though it was under the jurisdiction of the new National Government in Nanking.

In 1928, Chang Hui-ch'ang, the director of the aviation office of the Eighth Route Army in Kwangtung, decided to publicize flying activities by undertaking a long-distance flight. Huang Kuang-jui and Yang Kuan-yu accompanied Chang on this mission. The three aviators left Canton on 11 November at 8:30 a.m. in a monoplane which various reports credit with the names Pearl River and Spirit of Canton. They arrived at Hankow at 4 p.m. to receive an enthusiastic welcome. Bad weather postponed their departure for Nanking until 9:50 a.m. on 15 November. They arrived at Nanking at 1 :30 p.m., where they were met by an official welcoming party which included Feng Yü-hsiang, Ho Ying-ch'in, Sun Fo, and other dignitaries. The aviators left Nanking on 20 November and flew to Peking. They went to Mukden on 26 November and then to Tientsin, which they left on 4 December at 9 a.m. They arrived in Shanghai less than six hours later. In a mandate issued on 7 December, the three aviators were commended and awarded medals for a feat which, at a time when airfields were crude and radio and weather reports were nonexistent, had required great courage. In 1928 Huang became chief of the aviation office of the Eighth Route Army, where he served under Chen Chi-t'ang (q.v.). At that time Huang held the rank of major general. In July 1931 the Kwangtung Air Force was made an independent command by the Kwangtung government, and Huang was made chief of staff. In July 1932 he was made commander of the Second Squadron. The Kwangtung Air Force was integrated with the First Army Group in 1933, and Huang was appointed to command it.

In 1934 Huang was sent to France, Italy, Great Britain, and the United States to study military aviation. His experiences abroad convinced him that China must be unified to achieve strength and independence. In 1936 Chen Chi-t'ang, the leader of the Kwangtung military faction, joined forces with the Kwangsi leaders Li Tsung-jen and Pai Ch'ung-hsi (qq.v.) in opposition to the National Government. In early July, Huang Kuang-jui assembled the 160 fliers of the Kwangtung Air Force and ordered them to fly 62 planes from Canton to the Shaokuan airfield. On arrival, he ordered his men to fly 58 planes to Nanchang to join the National Government forces. He took the four remaining planes and their crews to Hong Kong, where he issued a statement declaring allegiance to Nanking. His action was instrumental in quelling the Kwangtung-Kwangsi revolt, for its leaders realized the futility of opeiating without an air force.

In September 1936 Huang assumed the presidency of the Central Aviation Academy at Hangchow. Three months later, he was made a member of the Aviation Commission. In March 1938 he became vice chairman of the Air Force Commission and air force commander at Chengtu, Szechwan. When the commission was reorganized in April 1941, Huang was placed in charge of military aviation administration and was made president of the Aviation Research Institute. The Air Force Commission was reorganized a second time in February 1943; Huang was reappointed vice chairman and was made vice president of the Aviation Research Institute. He was promoted lieutenant general of the air force on January 1 946 and was placed, at his request, on the retired list. Later that year, he was elected to serve as a delegate to the National Assembly. He moved to Canton and later went to live in Hong Kong. Huang and his wife, nee Tsai, had two sons, Wei-chiu and Wei-chih, and four daughters, Pi-hsia, Pi-yun, Pi-tsui, and Pi-chan. All of his children were educated in the United States.