Portal:Aviation/Anniversaries/December 1

December 1


 * 2012 – Syrian rebels credit one rebel soldier trained in the use of 9K38 Igla (NATO reporting name "SA-16 Gimlet") surface-to-air missiles captured from the Syrian government with using the missiles to shoot down two Syrian Army helicopters on consecutive days.


 * 2011 – A Central Intelligence Agency RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a reconnaissance mission malfunctions, veers out of control, and flies deep into Iran, where it runs out of fuel and crashes.


 * 2006 – Air Berlin orders 60 Boeing 737 with delivery scheduled for November 2007.


 * 2006 – CR Airways based in Hong Kong changes its name to Hong Kong Airlines.


 * 2001 – Captain Bill Compton brings Trans World Airlines Flight 220, an MD-83, into St. Louis International Airport bringing to an end 76 years of TWA operations following TWA’s purchase by American Airlines.


 * 2001 – Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Flight 9064: A Russian military Ilyushin Il-76TD catches fire and crashes near Novaya Inya, Russia killing all 18 on board.


 * 1995 – First flight of the Air Tractor AT-602


 * 1993 – Northwest Airlink Flight 5719, a Jetstream 31, crashes into two ridges east of Hibbing, Minnesota, killing all 18 on board.


 * 1989 – A leased CASA 212-300 Aviocar, 88-320, N296CA, c/n 296, operated by the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) for testing duties, crashes at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The crew had been conducting tests of tracking equipment during the short flight from Davison AAF at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Aircraft crashed and sank into the water ~ 50 yards off shore, in 45 feet water, reportedly because the flight crew inadvertently selected "beta range" on the propellers at 800 feet, stalled and crashed into the river. Pilot CW4 Gaylord M. Bishop, copilot CW4 Howard E. Morton, SPC Peter Rivera-Santos, PFC Mark C. Elkins, and CIV Ronald N. Whiteley Jr. KWF.


 * 1984 – Intentional crash of Boeing 720 in the NASA Controlled Impact Demonstration program at Edwards AFB.


 * 1981 – Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81, crashes in the mountains while approaching Campo dell'Oro Airport in Ajaccio, Corsica, killing all 180 on board.


 * 1977 – First flight of the Lockheed Have Blue


 * 1976 – First flight of the Ahrens AR 404 N404AR


 * 1974 – The Harriman State Park plane crash was a fatal crash of a Boeing 727 which took place near Stony Point, New York. The flight, designated Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, had been chartered to pick up the Baltimore Colts football team in Buffalo, New York. All three crew members aboard were killed when the aircraft struck the ground following a stall and rapid descent caused by the crew’s reaction to erroneous airspeed readings caused by atmospheric icing. The icing occurred due to failure to turn on pitot heat at the beginning of the flight.


 * 1974 – TWA Flight 514, a Boeing 727 inbound to Dulles International Airport, crashes into Mount Weather in Bluemont, Virginia, killing all 85 passengers and 7 crew.


 * 1970 – First flight of the Dassault Falcon 10


 * 1969 – The first legislation to limit aircraft noise levels at airports is introduced in U. S. Federal Air Regulation, Part 36.


 * 1952 – A USAF Douglas C-47B-50-DK Skytrain, 45-1124, crashes in the San Bernardino Mountains with 13 aboard "during a lashing storm while ferrying personnel from its home base, Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska to March Air Force Base near here." Search parties fly out of Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, California, and search snow-covered 8,000-foot (2,400 m) level near Big Bear Lake, where a sheriff's deputy reported seeing a fire on Monday night. The aircraft was last heard from at 2151 hrs. PST. Wreck found at ~11,400-foot (3,500 m) level of Mount San Gorgonio. All 13 killed while flying (KWF).


 * 1951 – F/O Bruce Gogerly of 77 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), flying a Gloster Meteor, declared victory over Soviet-piloted MiG-15, but all MiGs returned to base.


 * 1950 – The United States Air Force removes the Tactical Air Command from the control of the Continental Air Command. The Tactical Air Command returns to the status of a major command for the first time since December 1948.


 * 1948 – The United States Air Force creates the Continental Air Command and subordinates the Air Defense Command and the Tactical Air Command to it.


 * 1945 – Avro Canada Ltd was formed and took over the facilities of Victory Aircraft Ltd at Malton, Ontario. They began with about 400 key personnel who had been kept on from the wartime production programme.


 * 1944 – No. 2 Air Command, established at Winnipeg, took over duties of Nos. 2 and 4 Training Commands disbanded on 30 November.


 * 1943 – The United States reopens the former Japanese airfield on Betio at Tarawa Atoll as Hawkins Field for use by fighters. In mid-December, it will begin to handle heavy bombers as well.


 * 1941 – The Civil Air Patrol is created by Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, with the signing of Administrative Order 9.


 * 1938 – Non-Permanent Active Air Force was renamed the Auxiliary Active Air Force.


 * 1935 – The first airway traffic control center is opened in Newark, N. J., operated by staff of Eastern Air Lines, United Air Lines, American Airlines and TWA.


 * 1933 – Indian National Airways commences the first daily service in India, between Calcutta and Dacca.


 * 1932 – First flight of the Heinkel He 70


 * 1932 – First flight of the Bernard 200


 * 1932 – Pan American World Airways announces plans to offer service to Hawaii.


 * 1925 – The Boeing Airplane Co. delivers the first of 10 FB-1 s to the Navy. This one-seat land biplane is the Navy version of the Army PW-9 fighter. The last will be delivered Dec. 22.


 * 1919 – The Wright-Martin Corporation changes its name to Wright Aeronautical Corporation.


 * 1915 – The United States Army’s 2d Aero Squadron is formed.


 * 1911 – Royal Navy Lieutenant Arthur Longmore lands a float-equipped Short Improved S.27 in the River Medway, becoming the first person in the United Kingdom to take off from land and make a successful water landing.


 * 1910 – The Curtiss Aeroplane Company is founded.


 * 1783 – Charles and his assistant Robert make the first flight in a hydrogen-filled balloon (Charliere). On his second flight, Charles reached an altitude of 2700 m over Vivarais. They travel from Paris to Nesles, a distance of 43 km.