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March 3
In 1911… With Capt. Benjamin D. Foulois navigating a course and Phillip Parmelee at the controls, the Wright Type B on loan from Robert F. Collier sets an official U.S. cross-country record from Laredo to Eagle Pass, Texas. It flies the 106 miles in 2 hours 10 minutes.
In 1919… Airplane builder William E. Boeing and Eddie Hubbard of Hubbard Air Service make the first international airmail flight from Seattle, Washington to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
In 1950… Quantas Airways limited inaugurates a passenger service from Sydney to Tokyo.
Quantas is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport. It is Australia’s largest airline and is the world’s second oldest airline.
Quantas was founded in 1920 as “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services” and had a fleet of 7 de Havilland aircraft by 1926.
Today, Quantas operates 247 aircraft world wide with 79 more aircraft on order.

In 1960… The longest nonstop flight ever made by a Royal Air Force aircraft is completed when a Vickers Valiant B.Mk.1 piloted by Sqdn. Ldr. J. H. Garstin flies around the British Isles for a total distance of 8,500 miles aided by two inflight refuelings.
1972 – Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 crashes as a result of a control malfunction and insufficient training in emergency procedures.
In 1974… In the world’s worst air disaster, a DC-10-10 of Turkish Airlines loses an aft cargo door after taking off from Paris en route to London, resulting in a complete loss of control. The aircraft crashes, killing 346 passengers and crew. This is the second time a cargo bay door has been lost from aircraft of this type. As a result, a latch modification becomes mandatory.
2005 – Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly an airplane non-stop around the world solo without refueling.

And that is what happened TODAY in Aviation History. See you Tomorrow!

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