Aviation History

May 30, 1966: Surveyor 1 Lands on the Moon — Aerospace Engineering at Its Finest
May 30, 1966: Surveyor 1 Lands on the Moon — Aerospace Engineering at Its Finest
|Randall Wagnon
On May 30, 1966, NASA's Surveyor 1 spacecraft successfully soft-landed on the Moon's surface, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to achieve a controlled lunar landing. It was a crucial step... Read more...
May 29, 2003: Concorde's Last Commercial Flight to the United States — End of an Era
May 29, 2003: Concorde's Last Commercial Flight to the United States — End of an Era
|Randall Wagnon
In 2003, the final chapter of Concorde's commercial service was being written. May marks the period of Concorde's farewell tour, as Air France and British Airways began winding down the... Read more...
May 28, 1959: Two Monkeys Survive Space Flight — Aviation and Animal Heroes
May 28, 1959: Two Monkeys Survive Space Flight — Aviation and Animal Heroes
|Randall Wagnon
On May 28, 1959, Able (a rhesus monkey) and Baker (a squirrel monkey) became the first living creatures to survive a space mission and return safely, riding a Jupiter missile... Read more...
May 27, 1931: Auguste Piccard Reaches the Stratosphere — Aviation's Altitude Frontier
May 27, 1931: Auguste Piccard Reaches the Stratosphere — Aviation's Altitude Frontier
|Randall Wagnon
On May 27, 1931, Swiss physicist Auguste Piccard and his assistant Paul Kipfer ascended to 51,775 feet in a pressurized gondola beneath a hydrogen balloon — the first humans to... Read more...
May 26, 1956: The U.S. Navy Test Pilot School Opens — Where Legends Are Made
May 26, 1956: The U.S. Navy Test Pilot School Opens — Where Legends Are Made
|Randall Wagnon
The United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at Patuxent River, Maryland is one of the most prestigious aviation institutions in the world. May marks key milestones in its history,... Read more...
May 25, 1961: JFK's Moon Speech — 'We Choose to Go to the Moon'
May 25, 1961: JFK's Moon Speech — 'We Choose to Go to the Moon'
|Randall Wagnon
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed a joint session of Congress and challenged the nation: 'I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal,... Read more...
May 24, 1976: Concorde Begins Regular Service to the United States — Supersonic Aviation History
May 24, 1976: Concorde Begins Regular Service to the United States — Supersonic Aviation History
|Randall Wagnon
On May 24, 1976, Air France and British Airways launched simultaneous supersonic Concorde services to Washington Dulles International Airport, marking the beginning of regular commercial supersonic service to the United... Read more...
May 23, 1949: The de Havilland Beaver First Flies — The Ultimate Bush Plane
May 23, 1949: The de Havilland Beaver First Flies — The Ultimate Bush Plane
|Randall Wagnon
On August 16, 1947, the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver made its first flight — and went on to become one of the most beloved and versatile aircraft in aviation... Read more...
May 22, 1906: The Wright Brothers Patent Their Flying Machine — The Foundation of All Flight
May 22, 1906: The Wright Brothers Patent Their Flying Machine — The Foundation of All Flight
|Randall Wagnon
On May 22, 1906, Orville and Wilbur Wright received United States Patent No. 821,393 for their 'Flying Machine' — the legal recognition of the invention that had changed everything. The... Read more...
May 21, 1927: Lindbergh Lands in Paris — And Changes the World
May 21, 1927: Lindbergh Lands in Paris — And Changes the World
|Randall Wagnon
At 10:22 p.m. on May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis touched down at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, completing the first nonstop solo transatlantic flight in history.... Read more...
May 20, 1927: Lindbergh Takes Off — The Most Famous Takeoff in Aviation History
May 20, 1927: Lindbergh Takes Off — The Most Famous Takeoff in Aviation History
|Randall Wagnon
At 7:52 a.m. on May 20, 1927, a young airmail pilot named Charles Lindbergh pushed the throttle forward on his Spirit of St. Louis, rolled down a muddy runway at... Read more...
May 19, 1919: Harry Hawker's Transatlantic Attempt — Courage Before Lindbergh
May 19, 1919: Harry Hawker's Transatlantic Attempt — Courage Before Lindbergh
|Randall Wagnon
On May 18-19, 1919, British pilot Harry Hawker and navigator Kenneth Mackenzie-Grieve took off from Newfoundland in a Sopwith Atlantic biplane, attempting to become the first to fly the North... Read more...