The 1st flight of a full-size triplane, the French Goupy, is made. Built by Ambroise Goupy, it has three sets of wings; each stacked above the others and is powered by 50-hp Renault engine. (OTM) (1908)  Read More →

Edward Hogan in Quebec makes the 1st parachute descents in Canada from a hot-air balloon. (OTM) (1888) Louise Thaden becomes the 1st woman to win the prestigious coast-to-coast Bendix trophy race. (AYY) (1936)  Read More →

Orville Wright makes his 1st flight at Fort Meyer, Virginia, circling the field one-and-one-half times. During the next two weeks, he conducts a series of 14 long, high, and impressive flights, many of which set new records and are witnessed by government officials. (OTM) (1908) Regular airmail service in Canada begins with flights between Ontario... 

Samuel King introduces the 1st dragline in America. It is a long rope attached to the basket, which helps to stabilize altitude by dragging on the ground when the balloon is flying very low. (OTM) (1858) The 1st parachute descent by a Canadian woman is made when Nellie Lamount jumps from a hot-air balloon during a fair in Quebec. (OTM (1891) Blanche... 

The 1st U.S. tactical air unit, the First Aero Squadron, is organized because of the August outbreak of war in Europe. Based in San Diego, California, the unit has 16 officers, 77 enlisted men, and 8 airplanes. (OTM) (1914) President Warren Harding authorizes the creation of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, with Rear Admiral Moffet as its chief. (OTM)... 

In 1921… The first production Vickers Vernon, the first troop carrier designed for the British RAF (Royal Air Force), is delivered by the British manufacturer. (F&F) In 1956… The first Boeing KC-135A (serial no. 55-3118) makes its first flight and is taken over by the USAF on January 31, 1957. (F&F) In 1977… Soviet test... 

In 1913… American inventor Lawrence B. Sperry successfully demonstrates the first gyroscopic automatic stabilizing device for powered airplanes when Lt. Patrick N. L. Bellinger pilots a U.S. Navy flying boat designated C-2 and relinquishes full control to the autopilot. (F&F) In 1933… Air France, France’s national airline, is... 

After watching these you’ll want to become a jet fighter pilot. Stand by for take off…  Read More →

In 1879… In Ontario, Nellie Thurston becomes the first Canadian woman to fly in a balloon. (OTM) In 1909… At the end of a two-day flight from Lake Constance during which Count von Zeppelin travels a total distance of more than 400 miles, he makes a spectacular flight in his dirigible LZ5 over the city of Berlin, Germany. (F&F) In... 

In 1908… The US Army accepts its first dirigible. It is 96 feet long, with a 20-hp Curtiss engine. (AYY) In 1919… The International Air Traffic Association (IATA) is formed at The Hague, Holland. (OTM) In 1957… A record altitude for manned aircraft is achieved by the RAF Canberra serial no. WK 163 piloted by chief test pilot M. Randrup....