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Wright Brothers' First Sustained Flight
Using the Wright Flyer (shown in the photo), they were able to conduct the first sustained flight, laying the foundations for future aircraft developments. -
First Multi-Engine Aircraft Takes Off
The Russian Sikorsky Russky Vityaz conducts its first flight on this date. Originally designed for passenger use. Later, on June 23rd, 1913, the aircraft would be seriously damaged. This resulted in Igor Sikorsky, the creator of the aircraft, to start work on a refined version of the aircraft, named the Ilya Muromets. -
Passenger Aircraft Turned to First Strategic Military Bomber
A strategic military bomber is a medium to long rang aircraft that carries weapons to destroy the enemy's means to wage war, for example weapons factories, railroads, bridges, and infrastructure. The Ilya Muromets being the first to fit this definition after being originally purposed for passenger usage in 1913. This changed as WW1 started, serving with the Imperial Russian Armed Forces. This would have no equivalent until later in the war. -
Ex-Military Aircraft Pressed into Passenger Service
After WW1, large amounts of bombers appeared onto the market, conversions were made to make them fit for transporting passengers, like the Farman F.60 Goliath. The aforementioned Ilya Muromets was also converted to civilian use after WW1. -
The DC-3 Conducts First Flight
A very influential American design that made airliners profitable without relying on government mail subsidies. It also popularized air travel to more people. Some of these planes are still flying around today! -
Boeing 307 Pioneers the Pressurized Cabin
The purpose of pressurizing the cabin is to allow the plane to fly to higher heights without affecting the passengers and crew inside. This plane was derived from the B-17, a notable strategic bomber during WW2. -
The An-2 Takes Off, and Still Flies
A biplane designed by Antonov, it has garnered a reputation for being incredibly durable, has excellent lifting power, and is able to take off from runways of all conditions. It still sees service with both military and civilian operators, being able to be fitted as a flying ambulance, firefighting aircraft, paratrooper plane, crop dusting, and has been used to sample the atmosphere. -
The First Jet Airliner is Pressed into Service
The Havilland Comet was the first to use jets as a means of propulsion. Developed in the United Kingdom. Its glossy reputation would be later be stained with incidents involving the aircraft disintegrating due to the airframe expanding and shrinking by the pressurized cabin. This would lead the comet being grounded. The last Comet would be retired in 1997. -
The First Turbojet Airliner Flies
The Tupolev Tu-104 would be the first twin jet turbojet airliner, entering after the Havilland Comet, and being the only jet airliner until later. Developed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, it suffered a poor safety record in comparison to western nations. It would be retired in 1981, being superseded by more modern designs of the same company along the way. -
The First Successful Jet Airliner Takes Off
The first Jet Airliner to see massive financial success, the Boeing 707 and the DC-8 would dominate the civil air market for airliners and marked the start of the Jet Age. Variants of the aircraft are still serving under the military, however none are being used for civilian use. -
The Boeing 727
The most successful trijet of the era, and the only trijet Boeing would produce. Notable for noise which called for conversion kits to quiet it down. Its last commercial flight would be in 2019. -
The Boeing 737's First Flight
The Boeing 737 has enjoyed massive production numbers of up to 11,000. Becoming the most common aircraft in airliner's inventory. Evolving to 4 generations of aircraft to keep up with the modern times. The latest model, the Boeing 737 MAX has been in controversy, with its software causing two fatal crashes and has been grounded between March 2019 through November 2020. -
The Super Sonic Concorde Takes Flight
The Concorde was a joint development of Britain and France. It enjoyed being the fastest civil airliner in existence, however due to regulations on its path, the environmental impact it has on the ozone layer, and most importantly its fuel consumption, it didn't see widespread service. It would be retired in 2003. -
The First Wide-Body Jumbo Jet to Serve with Pan-Am
The Boeing 747 is the first Wide-Body Jumbo jet, boasting 4 engines and suited to carrying both cargo and passengers. This quickly became an icon of aviation, still serving airliners with modernized versions till the very present. -
The First Twin Engine Widebody Takes Flight
The Airbus A300 would be the first widebody with two engines, with two engines boasting more fuel efficiency, this would be the model that other airliners would follow, being shortly followed by the Boeing 767. -
A320 Pioneers Fly By Wire Technology
The A320 family has became the first of the planes to fully use electronics to control the plane unlike mechanical mechanisms to control the plane. -
The Largest Twin Engine Widebody
This is Boeing's first aircraft using fly by wire technology. Boasting the title of the largest widebody of twin engine. This would be later developed until the Boeing 777x. -
Largest Civil Airliner, the A380 takes flight.
This boasts the title of being the only full sized double decker airplane, unlike the 747 which only has a partial double deck. This was designed to compete with Boeing 747, with limited success. -
Boeing 787 Takes Flight with Composite Construction
The first airliner to use a mostly composite construction. It suffered from faulty batteries and poor quality control, these would be fully sorted by 2022, as deliveries has started being filled.