Connecting Skies • Bridging Continents
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has ordered three Cessna Caravan aircraft from Textron Aviation to support sterile insect release operations in southern
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics reported stable 2025 financial results, increased shipment volumes, and continued strategic expansion despite ongoing pressures in the global logistics market. Hellmann Worldwide
Avolon has received a BBB issuer credit rating upgrade from S&P Global Ratings, reflecting the aircraft lessor’s financial performance and balance sheet resilience. Avolon has received an upgraded issuer credit rating from S&P Global Ratings, with the agency raising the aircraft leasing company’s rating to BBB
AfBAA says its membership has more than doubled under its current leadership while expanding partnerships, committees, and engagement across Africa’s business aviation sector. African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) says its membership has more than doubled during the first 12 months under its current executive leadership, as
Flight Academy of South Texas has taken delivery of its first Tecnam P-Mentor aircraft as the new training academy expands operations and plans further fleet growth. Tecnam has delivered the first Tecnam P-Mentor aircraft to the Flight Academy of South Texas as the newly established training
AAR CORP presented its updated long-term strategy and three-year financial framework during its 2026 Investor Day, outlining growth initiatives across its aviation aftermarket operations. AAR CORP. has outlined its updated long-term strategy and three-year financial framework during its 2026 Investor Day presentation, held on 12 May.
inter airport Europe will relocate to Milan and relaunch as inter airport Global in 2027, introducing new operational and ground support equipment demonstration platforms. inter
Trimble has introduced a new smart antenna enclosure for its PX-1 RTX solution, aimed at accelerating integration for commercial drone delivery and UAV applications. Trimble
Phelan Green outlines its strategy to supply electro-sustainable aviation fuel from South Africa into European markets, aligned with upcoming EU and UK blending mandates. By
2010 – Death of Stelio Frati, Italian mechanical engineer and aeroplane designer. He graduated from the University of Milan as a Mechanical Engineer in 1943, and after teaching aircraft design became a freelance aircraft designer, being responsible for many well known aircraft designs. Best known designs are the Falco F8L and the Aermacchi SF.260.
2010 – Launch: Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-132 at 10:21:22 UTC. Mission highlights: ISS assembly flight ULF4: Mini-Research Module 1.
2005 – A Eurocopter AS350 helicopter piloted by Eurocopter test pilot Didier Delsalle touched down on the top of Mt. Everest, at 8,850 m (29,035 feet). This record has been confirmed by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
1997 – Star Alliance is founded. The world’s first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany (near Frankfurt Airport) the five founders were the world’s leading airlines Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines.
1979 – Progress 6 (Soviet unmanned cargo spacecraft) docks with Salyut 6.
1973 – Skylab, the United States’ first space station, is launched.
1941 – During testing, the Grumman XP-50 prototype (39-2517) is lost, falling victim to a turbo-supercharger explosion that destroyed the aircraft. The test pilot Bob Hall bailed out while the XP-50 plunged into Smithtown Bay in Long Island Sound.
1940 – The Yermolayev Yer-2, a long-range Soviet medium bomber, has its first flight.
1939 – Following first flight of the prototype Short S.29 Stirling four-engine bomber, L7600,
the undercarriage, airframe damaged beyond repair.
1938 – First prototype Focke-Wulf Fw 187 V1, D-AANA, crashes at Bremen, Germany, when test pilot Paul Bauer, having completed test series, makes high-speed run across airfield, pulls up too sharply, stalls, spins in next to the control tower.
1936 – First flight of the Miles Whitney Straight M.11, two-seater light aircraft with a dual-control, ‘side-by-side’ cockpit configuration.
1915 – The U.S. Navy contracts with the Connecticut Aircraft Company for its first airship.
1909 – Pilot S.F.Cody makes first flight of more than a mile in Britain using British Army Aeroplane No 1, flying from Laffan’s Plain to Danger Hill in Hampshire at average height of 30 ft (9.1 m). Later in the afternoon, the Prince of Wales asks Cody to repeat the flight, but in so doing, Cody is forced to turn quickly to avoid some troops in his path, smashing the tail against an embankment. Aircraft rebuilt at Farnborough with design changes to improve performance.
1908 – Charles Furnas becomes the first North American passenger in an aeroplane, piloted by Wilbur Wright. Wilbur Wright flew Charles W. Furnas for a distance of 2.5 miles in a Wright Model B.
1884 – Birth of Claude (Claudius) Honoré Desiré Dornier, German airplane builder and founder of Dornier GmbH.
