-
first glider.
-
first engine airplane built by the Wright brothers.
-
Airplane manufacturer William Edward Boeing establishes his Boeing company. Boeing will later become the most famous aircraft manufacturer, sharing a position with Airbus.
-
first airline: KLM. In the beginning there were flights with only small converted transport aircraft, later also real passenger aircraft.
-
first passenger plane: DC-1
-
Fantastic pilots: Pan Am Flight 843
Pan Am Flight 843 was a Boeing 707 that took off from San Francisco Airport and was supposed to land in Hawaii. But one of the engines exploded, causing a fire in the wing. The explosion blew off ⅓ of the wing! The pilots got the fire out and made an emergency landing at Travis Air Force Base. The investigators explained this as: 'A pure miracle'. All this was filmed by one of the passengers! -
First Boeing 747
30 September 1968: First Boeing 747 (the 747 is known as "Queen of the skies") And February 9, 1969: first flight with a Boeing 747. It weighs 168 tons! The 747 is the most iconic airplane EVER. In its entire history, 26 airlines have flown the 747. Of those 26, only 5 airlines still have 747s, with Lufthansa being the only one still using them as passenger aircraft, the rest are cargo. -
First Concorde.
March 2, 1969: first Concorde. (A supersonic aircraft that could fly at a speed of up to 2,179 km/h. It was the only passenger aircraft that flew faster than the speed of sound). Concorde had a nose that can go up and down, which looks pretty funny! Only the rich could afford it, because it cost around 18,399.60 euros! On July 25, 2000 there was a crash with a Concorde in Gonesse. All 109 passengers died. The era of the Concorde was over. -
Airbus is founded. Airbus will later become, in a shared position with Boeing, the most famous aircraft manufacturer.
-
Fantastic Pilots: Air Canada Flight 143
On july 23, 1983, an Air Canada Boeing 767 ran out of fuel in midair. That happened because, while refueling, there was an error in the fuel system that caused it to indicate 11,525 liters. The experienced pilots glided the plane sideways to an old airport that was then used as a race track. Miraculously everyone survived! -
Fantastic Pilots: Trans-Air Service Flight 671
2 engines of a 707 Cargo plane blew off! Yet the pilots managed to make an emergency landing with only 2 of the 4 engines! Everyone survived the incident.