Learned to fly in the Czarist Russian Air Force (in a Voisin).
After the rise of communism in Russia, Clems flew for the White Russians.
September 16, 1920 - Clems joins the Latvian military, aviation section.
November 26, 1920 - Founding member of the original Latvian Aero Club.
March, 1921 - completes a skills refresher at flight school.
August 7, 1921 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Riga/Spilve.
March 24, 1922 - participates in the re-supply (from the air) of german ships trapped in pack ice near Liepaja. Celms
flew the Rumpler C.1 with Inselbergs as his observer. Rank: Sargeant.
Within the aviation regiment he produced an occasional humour sheet he called "Cugunlejejs"
April 16, 1923 - leaves the military
1923 - employed by the "Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedriba". They send him to Johannisthal, near
Berlin, to learn to fly the Junkers F.13. Upon his return, he regularly flies the route between Riga and Berlin.
1928 - a founding member of the Latvian Aviator's Society. On behalf of this sociey Celms established contacts with
the Ligue International des Aviateurs, becoming its first Latvian member. This led to Latvian fliers having the opportunity
to compete for the Latvian chapter's Clifford Harmon Trophy.
Prominent member of the Latvian Aero Club (LAK).
Serves, with R.Zardins, on the LAK technical commission, ruling on matters of aircraft construction and inspection.
1932 - 1933 - a founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Latvian Aviation.
July 25, 1932 - goes to Liepaja to support and encourage Pulins, who was leaving on a solo flight to Sweden. Four days
later he greets Pulins on his return, this time in Riga.
May 28, 1933 - Celms and Pulins set off in the Irbitis I-6 (named "Gambija") to fly to Gambia and back. Celms had
been selected for the flight because he spoke a number of languages and could prepare dispatches for the media. However,
the project failed miserably when they destroyed the aircraft, crashing shortly after crossing into Germany. Both aviators escaped
without major injury.
1934 - Celms edits and also regularly contributes articles for "Sparnota Latvija".
May 10, 1934 - participates in the Aviation Festival at Jelgava.
1935 - publishes the small book "Tev Bus Lidot".
September 26-27, 1937 - flying with R.Gulbis, participates in the second "Flight Around Latvija" contest.
1941 (Soviet Occupation) - arrested and deported to Siberia.
