Portal:Aviation/Anniversaries/March 11

March 11


 * 2011 – Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake off the coast of Japan, Sendai Airport in Natori, Japan, is engulfed by a tsunami and put out of action. Flights are suspended from a number of airports in Japan, including Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, Tokyo. In Hawaii, Hilo International, Honolulu International, Kahului and Lihue airports are all temporarily closed.


 * 2010 – A Mil Mi-8 helicopter Kazakhstan The Ministry of Emergency Situations crashed for unknown reasons during rescue flight in blizzard.


 * 2008 – Launch: Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-123 at 06:28:14 UTC. Mission highlights: ISS assembly flight 1J/A: JEM ELM PS & SPDM, crew rotation.


 * 2007 – Hukou F-5 F crash: A Republic of China Air Force F-5 F fighter jet crashed into a military base in Hukou, Taiwan on 11 May 2007. The accident killed the two Taiwanese crewmen and three Singaporean soldiers who were part of an unrelated unilateral training stint on the ground. Another eight Singaporeans were injured, with one sustaining serious burn injuries.


 * 2005 – Jetsgo ceases all operations and declares bankruptcy protection.


 * 2005 – China's first private airline, Okay Airlines has its maiden revenue flight.


 * 2004 – CH-46E Sea Knight 153389 from HMM-161 makes hard landing in brownout conditions in Al Anbar province; took additional damage during transportation and later was written off.


 * 1998 – The first two of four Boeing E-767 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft are officially handed over to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. The Boeing E-767 AWACS developed as a natural progression from the E-3 Sentry following the closure of Boeing’s 707 production line. The E-767 combines a Boeing 767-200ER airframe with the APY-2 development of the Sentry’s APY-1 radar and mission system. The first flight of the completed E-767 occurred on August 9, 1996 at Everett, Washington. Other military variants of the 767 are now under consideration, including tanker and strategic transport aircraft to replace the aging fleet of KC-135 s and B707 s in worldwide military service.


 * 1993 – First flight of the Airbus A321


 * 1990 – Philippine Airlines Flight 143 (PR143) was the route designator of a domestic flight from the Manila Ninoy Aquino Airport, Metro Manila, Philippines to Mandurriao Airport, Iloilo City. On May 11, 1990, the Boeing 737-300 (C/N 24466, MSN 1771) assigned to that route exploded and burned on the ground at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. There were 8 fatalities among the 120 on-board passengers and crew from the violent explosion on the ground.


 * 1985 – First flight of the ARV Super 2


 * 1983 – An Avensa Douglas DC-9 crashes at Barquisimeto Airport, Venezuela, 22 passengers and one crew killed.


 * 1982 – Widerøe Flight 933, a de Havilland Canada Twin Otter, crashes into the Barents Sea near Mehamn, killing all 15 on board; this accident remains highly controversial in Norway.


 * 1974 – The YF-16 attained Mach 2 for the first time in test flights at Edwards AFB, Calif.


 * 1968 – No. 6 Strike Reconnaissance OTU redesignated 417 Squadron.


 * 1964 – British European Airways, introduces the Hawker Siddeley Trident on its route between London and Copenhagen.


 * 1959 – First flight of the Sikorsky S-61 / Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King


 * 1958 – A United States Air Force Boeing B-47E-60-LM Stratojet, 53-1876, c/n 290, from Hunter AFB, Georgia, jettisons nuclear weapons casing from 15,000 feet (4,600 m) over rural section of Florence, South Carolina, high-explosives detonate on impact causing property damage, several civilian injuries. No fuel capsule installed on bomb.


 * 1957 – The prototype Boeing 707 jet lands after a press demonstration flight from Seattle, Washington to Baltimore, Maryland during which it covers 2,350 miles in a record time of 3 hours 48 min.


 * 1957 – A Lockheed Super Constellation of Flying Tiger Lines sets a payload record for a commercial aircraft of 41,749 lb (18,936 kg) between Newark, New Jersey and Burbank, California


 * 1955 – Orient Airways is merged into a new government-owned airline to become Pakistan International Airlines.


 * 1955 – Third of 13 North American X-10s, GM-19309, c/n 3, on X-10 flight number 14, out of Edwards AFB, California, first flight of refitted c/n 3, the static test article. Vehicle exploded on gear retraction two seconds after lift-off - it was found that the destruct package was wired to the gear circuit instead of the engine circuit.


 * 1945 – A Japanese balloon bomb, shot at in British Columbia, was recovered in Edson, Alberta.


 * 1941 – The Congress of the United States passes the Lend-Lease bill, paving the way for the provision of (amongst other equipment) 16,000 warplanes to the UK. Later Lend-Lease arrangements will supply other Allied nations.


 * 1935 – Introduction: Avro 652 with Imperial Airways


 * 1918 – The first regular international airmail service begins, with Hansa-Brandenburg C.I aircraft linking Vienna, Lviv, Proskurov, and Kiev.


 * 1918 – Lt. Paul Baer becomes the first AEF Air Service member awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.


 * 1916 – The Royal Navy charters the cargo ship SS Manica for conversion into the first British balloon ship, HMS Manica. The Royal Navt will be the only navy during World War I to operate balloon ships, specialized ships designed to handle observation balloons as their sole function.


 * 1912 – Lt. Frank P. Lahm opened an Army Air School at Fort William McKinley, Philippines, with two volunteer students, Lt. Moss L. Love and Cpl. Vernon L. Burge, who later became the first enlisted pilot.


 * 1910 – Lieutenant J. W. Dunne’s D5 tailless biplane is tested at Eastchurch, Kent, England. It has a 60-hp Green engine and was built by Short Brothers.