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
2011 – The first Solar Impulse aircraft, HB-SIA, the first solar-powered aircraft capable of both day and night flight thanks to its batteries charged by solar power, makes its first international flight, flying 630 km (391 miles) from Payerne Airport outside Payerne, Switzerland, to Brussels Airport in Belgium, in 12 hours 59 minutes at an average speed of 50 km/hr (31 mph).[1][2]
1989 – The Antonov An-225 Mriya, Soviet strategic airlift cargo aircraft, makes its first carrying flight of the Buran space shuttle.
1982 – Launch of Soyuz T-5, Russian manned spaceflight into Earth orbit to the then new Salyut 7 space station.
1980 – First flight of the Antonov An-3.
1975 – Sikorsky CH-53C, 68-10933, c/n 65-231, Knife 13, of the 21st Special Operations Squadron, departs from Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base with a crew of five and 18 USAF Security Police onboard to assist in the recovery operation of the SS Mayaguez. The helicopter disappears from the airfield’s departure radar 40 miles W of the airfield. All on board are KWF. The Air Force issues a “temporary flight restriction” order, service parlance for a grounding order, on 22 May 1975, for 40 HH-53 and 12 CH-53, following an inspection crew reaching the jungle crash site. A main rotor blade separated from the head in flight.
1957 – Three USAF North American F-100 Super Sabres set a new world distance record for single-engine aircraft by covering the 6,710 mi (5,835 nmi, 10,805 km) distance from London to Los Angeles in 14 hours and 4 min. The flight was accomplished using in-flight refueling.
1955 – On seventh and final flight of Northrop N-69A test vehicle for the Northrop XSM-62 Snark, only two of which were successful, mission was cut short when the missile collided with its T-33A photo plane.
1954 – First flight of the Kellett KH-15 “Stable Mable”. This helicopter was designed to test the new gyro-stabilizing system, a kind of small rotor mounted concentrically and intended to stabilize the main rotor.
1949 – First flight of the English Electric Canberra, British first-generation jet-powered light bomber.
1940 – First flight of the General Aircraft Fleet Shadower G. A. L.38, British long-range four-engine patrol prototype aircraft.
1940 – First flight of the Bell XFL Airabonita, United States experimental shipboard interceptor aircraft developed for the United States Navy by Bell Aircraft. It was similar to and a parallel development of the land-based P-39 Airacobra, differing mainly in the use of a tailwheel undercarriage in place of the P-39’s tricycle gear.
1940 – The Sikorsky VS-300, which made its first flight the previous year, makes its first untethered flight.
1938 – (13–15) A Japanese Gasuden Koken aircraft breaks the closed-circuit world distance record of 11,651 km (7,240 mi).
1934 – US airmail pilot William John “Jack” Frye sets a new United States coast-to-coast record, carrying mail from Los Angeles to Newark. The journey is completed in 11 hours 31 min with a Douglas DC-1.
1933 – Lowe Wylde, designer and managing director of British Aircraft Company dies in the crash of a British Aircraft Company Drone during a demonstration at west Malling.
1930 – With the Latécoère 28 “Comte-de-la-Vaulx”, Jean Mermoz complete the first south Transatlatic Postal flight from Saint-Louis, Senegal, to Natal, Brazil.
1927 – Colonial Air Transport offers a sightseeing trip from Teterboro, New Jersey, around New York City for just $8, less than the price of a similar trip in a taxi.
1913 – Sikorsky Russky Vityaz, the world’s first four-engined aircraft and the first aeroplane with a lavatory.
1912 – A Flanders Monoplane crashed at Brooklands, Surrey, United Kingdom, killing the pilot and his passenger. The accident was investigated by the Royal Aero Club, which issued the first-ever report into an aviation accident and established the science of aviation accident investigation.
1911 – Jan Kašpar, Czech aviator, aircraft constructor, designer and engineer, flies from Pardubice to Velká Chuchle (121 km) in 92 min. At the time, it was the longest flight in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
