Timeline

21 November 1783

First free manned balloon flight

The Montgolfier brothers' demonstrations pave the way for human flight in a hot-air balloon. In Paris, Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes make the first documented free flight with people aboard. Their balloon cannot be steered and drifts with the wind. The experiment establishes that a crew can leave the ground and return safely in an aerostat.

1890

Clément Ader's Éole

Clément Ader seeks to lift a heavier-than-air machine using a steam engine. A brief lift-off by his Éole is reported at Armainvilliers, although the significance of the trial remains disputed. It does not demonstrate sustained, controlled flight. The machine nevertheless illustrates the work on propulsion and lightweight construction that precedes the practical aeroplane.

17 December 1903

The Wright Flyer flies at Kitty Hawk

Following their glider trials, the Wright brothers bring together an engine, propellers and effective flight controls. Near Kitty Hawk, they achieve the first powered, sustained and controlled flights of a piloted aeroplane. They make four flights that day. Their success establishes control as a central requirement in the development of aviation.

23 October and 12 November 1906

Santos-Dumont flies the 14-bis at Bagatelle

In the Bagatelle park in Paris, Alberto Santos-Dumont takes off in the 14-bis under its own power before official witnesses. The flight of 12 November, of about 220 metres, is ratified by the Aéro-Club de France. These public demonstrations help to establish powered flight in Europe.

25 July 1909

Blériot crosses the Channel

Early aeroplanes are gradually venturing beyond their testing grounds. Louis Blériot crosses the Channel from the Calais area to Dover in his Blériot XI. He makes the first Channel crossing by aeroplane. The flight demonstrates the possibility of spanning a stretch of sea and brings aviation wider public attention.

August 1909

Reims Aviation Week

Early aviation is attracting growing interest from the public and industry. The Grande Semaine d'aviation de la Champagne brings pilots and manufacturers from several countries to Bétheny. Contests compare aircraft in speed, distance and endurance. This major international meeting helps establish aviation as both a public spectacle and a field of technical competition.

8 March 1910

Raymonde de Laroche, first woman to hold a pilot's licence

The Aéro-Club de France issues Raymonde de Laroche with pilot's licence no. 36. She is the first woman in the world to hold one. This recognition comes at a time when women remain a small minority in flying schools.

28 March 1910

Henri Fabre flies the first seaplane

On the Étang de Berre at La Mède, Henri Fabre takes off from the water in his 'Hydro-aéroplane'. It is the first attested take-off of a powered seaplane. The experiment opens a new path for aircraft able to use stretches of water for take-off and landing.

23 September 1913

Roland Garros crosses the Mediterranean

Leaving Fréjus in a Morane-Saulnier monoplane, Roland Garros lands at Bizerte, Tunisia, after nearly eight hours in the air. It is the first crossing of the Mediterranean by air. The crossing demonstrates the potential of overwater flight, but also its risks in the event of engine failure.

1914–1918

The aircraft in the Great War

First used for observation, the aircraft becomes within four years a fighter and bomber. The belligerents build tens of thousands of machines, and the aircraft industry changes scale. Aerial reconnaissance and artillery observation become essential missions at the front.

15 July 1916

William Boeing founds Pacific Aero Products

In Seattle, William E. Boeing incorporates Pacific Aero Products Co. to build seaplanes. It is renamed Boeing Airplane Company in 1917. The firm is the origin of today's Boeing group.

1918

Lignes aériennes Latécoère founded

At the end of the war, Pierre-Georges Latécoère prepares to use aircraft commercially to carry mail. A reconnaissance flight links Toulouse and Barcelona, setting his route project in motion. The network later extends towards Africa and then South America under the Aéropostale name. The undertaking makes mail a driving force in the development of long-distance air services.

June 1919

Alcock and Brown cross the Atlantic

After the war, military aircraft are adapted for long-distance flights. John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown cross the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland in a modified Vickers Vimy. They complete the first non-stop crossing of the ocean by aeroplane. The flight demonstrates the feasibility of the route long before regular services are established.

1919

First regular commercial air services

In the aftermath of the war, several European companies open regular passenger and mail services, notably between Paris, London and Brussels. The aircraft are often converted former bombers. These openings help to shape European air transport networks.

May 1927

Lindbergh flies New York to Paris

Crossing the Atlantic remains a demanding undertaking for aircraft and crews. Charles Lindbergh flies solo and non-stop from New York to Le Bourget in the Spirit of St. Louis. He thus completes the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris. The reception on his arrival helps popularise aviation on both sides of the ocean.

May 1930

Mermoz crosses the South Atlantic

Aéropostale seeks to speed up mail between Europe and South America. Jean Mermoz, Jean Dabry and Léopold Gimié fly from Saint-Louis in Senegal to Natal in the float-equipped Laté 28 Comte-de-la-Vaulx. They carry mail across the South Atlantic by air. Their success marks a step towards an all-air postal route, still difficult to operate regularly.

20–21 May 1932

Amelia Earhart flies the Atlantic solo

Taking off from Newfoundland in a Lockheed Vega, Amelia Earhart lands in Northern Ireland. She is the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo. The non-stop flight strengthens her international reputation and raises the profile of women in aviation.

7 October 1933

Air France is founded

Air France is formed by merging several French airlines, including Air Orient, Air Union, CIDNA, SGTA and the Compagnie générale aéropostale, whose network it takes over. The new airline brings together European and intercontinental routes. This consolidation places previously separate networks under a common organisation.

1934

Hélène Boucher and women's speed records

Hélène Boucher sets several women’s speed records in Caudron aircraft. She dies in November of the same year during a training flight at Guyancourt. Her achievements draw attention to French racing aircraft and to women’s role in competitive flying.

17 December 1935

First flight of the Douglas DC-3

Airlines are seeking aircraft that can make passenger services profitable. The Douglas DST prototype, the sleeper version from which the DC-3 develops, makes its first flight. The family's rugged construction and operating economics encourage its adoption on civil networks. The DC-3 becomes a benchmark in air transport and also gives rise to numerous military versions.

5 March 1936

First flight of the Supermarine Spitfire

The prototype of the fighter designed by R. J. Mitchell's team flies at Eastleigh, England. The Spitfire will be built in very large numbers during the Second World War. Successive versions adapt the design for fighter, reconnaissance and other duties.

27 August 1939

First flight of a jet aircraft

Research into gas turbines offers an alternative to the piston engine and propeller. In Germany, the Heinkel He 178 makes the first flight of a turbojet-powered aeroplane. This experimental aircraft is not intended for commercial transport. It demonstrates in flight a propulsion principle that will later transform military and civil aviation.

1944

The Me 262, first jet fighter in service

The Messerschmitt Me 262 enters operational service with the Luftwaffe. It is the first jet fighter used in combat, with engines whose service life is still very short. Its arrival demonstrates the potential of jet propulsion without changing the course of the war.

7 December 1944

Chicago Convention, birth of ICAO

The Convention on International Civil Aviation is signed in Chicago. It establishes the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which begins operating in 1947 and has since issued standards shared by states. The convention provides a lasting framework for international co-operation and the organisation of civil air transport.

14 October 1947

The sound barrier is broken

The difficulties of transonic flight lead to the development of specialised research aircraft. After release from a bomber, Chuck Yeager exceeds the speed of sound in level flight in the rocket-powered Bell X-1. The test establishes that a piloted aircraft can cross this threshold under control. It provides knowledge that supports the development of supersonic aircraft.

27 July 1949

First flight of the Comet

Following the first military jets, manufacturers prepare to use turbojets on civil routes. The de Havilland Comet makes its first flight in Britain. It becomes the first jet airliner to enter commercial service in 1952. Structural failures that later affect the programme lead to a deeper understanding of fatigue in pressurised cabins.

2 May 1952

First jet airliner passenger service

BOAC opens a London–Johannesburg passenger service with the de Havilland Comet. The 1954 accidents lead to investigations that advance knowledge of structural fatigue. The programme thus marks both the start of scheduled jet transport and a major step in the safety of pressurised aircraft.

August 1953

Jacqueline Auriol breaks the sound barrier

Flying a Dassault Mystère II, Jacqueline Auriol exceeds the speed of sound. She is one of the very first women to do so, a few months after the American Jacqueline Cochran. As a test pilot, she helps to explore the flight envelope of French jet aircraft.

27 May 1955

First flight of the Caravelle

Jet propulsion is being adopted for airliner projects intended for medium-distance routes. The Caravelle makes its first flight in Toulouse. Its two engines are mounted at the rear of the fuselage, away from the forward cabin. This layout becomes widely used on short- and medium-range transport aircraft.

17 November 1956

First flight of the Dassault Mirage III

The prototype of Dassault's delta-wing fighter flies at Melun-Villaroche. The Mirage III will be exported to many countries. Its delta configuration becomes a defining feature of the company’s fighters.

1957

Sud Aviation is formed

The state-owned companies SNCASE and SNCASO merge to form Sud Aviation. The new public company takes over programmes including the Caravelle and the Alouette helicopters. It then leads the French share of Concorde development.

1958

The Boeing 707 enters service

Airlines are preparing to replace part of their propeller-driven fleets with faster aircraft. Pan American introduces the Boeing 707 on the North Atlantic. The four-engine jet combines a swept wing with a cabin suited to major international routes. Its widespread adoption helps establish jet travel as a lasting feature of air transport.

22 December 1964

First flight of the Lockheed SR-71

The strategic reconnaissance aircraft designed by Lockheed's Skunk Works flies at Palmdale, California. It flies at more than three times the speed of sound, at very high altitude. Its design addresses the need to gather intelligence while limiting exposure to enemy defences.

April 1967

McDonnell Douglas is formed

McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft merge to form McDonnell Douglas, headquartered in St. Louis. Douglas, then in financial difficulty despite orders for the DC-8 and DC-9, gains a stronger partner. The new group combines combat aircraft, airliners and space activities.

9 April 1967

First flight of the Boeing 737

Boeing's short-haul twinjet makes its first flight. Developed over several generations, it becomes one of the most-produced airliner families. The programme plays a central role in the development of short- and medium-haul networks.

9 February 1969

First flight of the Boeing 747

Traffic growth encourages manufacturers to increase airliner capacity substantially. The Boeing 747 makes its first flight near Seattle. Its wide fuselage accommodates two aisles, while the upper deck gives it a distinctive profile. Its capacity changes the economics of major routes while requiring airports to adapt their infrastructure.

2 March 1969

First flight of Concorde

France and Britain are jointly developing a supersonic transport aircraft. The Concorde 001 prototype makes its first flight at Toulouse. This initial flight remains subsonic and begins a lengthy development test programme. The project aims to carry passengers at a cruising speed close to Mach 2.

1 January 1970

Aérospatiale is created

Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation and SEREB merge to form the Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale (SNIAS). The group combines aircraft, helicopters, missiles and space activities. It becomes the French partner in Airbus.

January 1970

The Boeing 747 enters service

Pan Am puts the 747 into service between New York and London. The widebody lowers the cost per seat and accompanies the growth of mass air travel. Its twin-aisle cabin and partial upper deck make it a symbol of intercontinental travel.

18 December 1970

Airbus Industrie is formed

The Airbus Industrie economic interest grouping is formed by French and German manufacturers, later joined by Spain and the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are initially in Paris, before moving to Toulouse in 1974. The A300 programme gives this European partnership a concrete industrial purpose.

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A300-600

28 October 1972

First flight of the Airbus A300

European industrial cooperation produces a new family of airliners. The Airbus A300 makes its first flight at Toulouse. It is the first twin-engine widebody airliner. The programme lays the industrial and commercial foundations on which Airbus subsequently builds its range.

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A300-600

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A300F

May 1974

The A300 enters service with Air France

Air France puts the first Airbus A300 into service between Paris and London. Sales start slowly before picking up at the end of the 1970s. As the first twin-engined widebody airliner, the A300 offers an alternative to three- and four-engined aircraft on suitable routes.

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A300-600

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A300F

21 January 1976

Concorde enters commercial service

After a lengthy programme of testing and certification, Concorde begins carrying fare-paying passengers. Air France opens a route to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar, while British Airways serves Bahrain. These launches bring the Franco-British aircraft into scheduled service. Its speed cuts journey times, but its costs and restrictions related to the sonic boom limit its network.

1977

British Aerospace is formed

The British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and Scottish Aviation are nationalised and combined. The new group is named British Aerospace. It joins Airbus Industrie in 1979.

16 August 1984

First flight of the ATR 42

The regional twin-turboprop from ATR, a Franco-Italian joint venture based in Toulouse, makes its first flight. The stretched ATR 72 will follow. The family targets regional routes on which turboprop propulsion is well suited to short sectors.

4 July 1986

First flight of the Rafale A

Dassault Aviation's Rafale A demonstrator flies at Istres. It paves the way for the production Rafale, which entered service with the French Navy and then the French Air Force. The programme combines a delta-canard configuration with fly-by-wire flight controls.

22 February 1987

First flight of the Airbus A320

Airbus expands its range with a single-aisle aircraft for short- and medium-haul routes. The A320 makes its first flight with digital fly-by-wire controls and sidesticks. Computers transmit the pilot's commands and provide flight-envelope protection in normal operation. This architecture becomes a defining feature of subsequent Airbus designs.

1992

Eurocopter is formed

Eurocopter is formed by the merger of the helicopter activities of Aérospatiale and DASA (formerly MBB), on a 70%/30% basis. The joint company brings together the French and German ranges. It becomes Airbus Helicopters on 2 January 2014.

12 June 1994

First flight of the Boeing 777

Boeing's long-haul twinjet flies for the first time. It was largely designed with three-dimensional computer-aided design tools. The programme strengthens the position of twinjets on major intercontinental routes.

1 August 1997

Boeing and McDonnell Douglas merge

The merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas is completed after approval by US and European competition authorities. The resulting group keeps the Boeing name. The world market for large airliners is left with two manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus.

1999

Aérospatiale-Matra

Aérospatiale combines with Matra Hautes Technologies to form Aérospatiale-Matra. The operation comes with the opening of the state company's capital. The new group takes part in creating EADS the following year.

10 July 2000

EADS is created

Aérospatiale-Matra, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and CASA combine to form EADS. The new group holds 80% of Airbus, with BAE Systems retaining 20%. In 2001 Airbus becomes an integrated company and ceases to be an economic interest grouping.

July 2002

EASA is established

A European regulation creates the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), based in Cologne (current name: European Union Aviation Safety Agency, since 2018). It gradually takes over aircraft certification and the framework for maintenance (Part-145, Part-66, Part-147). The organisation seeks to harmonise aviation safety rules across Europe.

2003

Concorde retired

Concorde operations depend on a small fleet and a specialised market. Air France and then British Airways end their supersonic services. Operating costs, weak demand and the demands of supporting the programme weigh on the decision. Preserved aircraft become reminders of this chapter in supersonic commercial transport.

27 April 2005

First flight of the Airbus A380

Airbus designs the A380 to carry large numbers of passengers between major hubs. The aircraft makes its first flight at Toulouse. It has two passenger decks extending along the full length of the cabin. Its development requires an international industrial effort and changes at airports that will handle it.

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A380-800

2007

The A380 enters service

Following testing and certification, the A380 joins scheduled passenger service. Singapore Airlines operates its first commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney. Entry into service puts ground handling and boarding procedures for an aircraft of this size into everyday practice. It brings the very-high-capacity approach to routes linking major airports.

15 December 2009

First flight of the Boeing 787

The 787 flies at Everett. Its structure makes extensive use of composite materials, and its systems rely more on electrical power. It enters service with All Nippon Airways in 2011.

14 June 2013

First flight of the Airbus A350

The A350 XWB makes its first flight in Toulouse. A long-haul twinjet with a largely composite structure, it enters service with Qatar Airways in January 2015. The programme forms part of long-haul fleet renewal and efforts to reduce fuel consumption.

2014

EADS becomes Airbus Group

The EADS group adopts the name Airbus Group. Its activities are reorganised around commercial aircraft, helicopters, and defence and space. In the same year Eurocopter is renamed Airbus Helicopters.

2016

Solar Impulse 2 completes its round-the-world flight

Solar Impulse 2 explores the possibilities of an electric aircraft powered by sunlight. Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg take turns at the controls to complete a staged round-the-world flight without fuel, finishing in Abu Dhabi. Batteries allow flight to continue at night after charging in sunlight. The demonstration highlights energy efficiency without providing a model directly transferable to commercial passenger transport.

2017

Airbus SE

Airbus Group merges with its Airbus subsidiary and becomes Airbus SE. It had already become a European company (SE) in 2015. This step completes the sequence of name changes begun under EADS.

July 2018

The CSeries becomes the Airbus A220

On 1 July 2018 Airbus takes a majority stake in Bombardier's CSeries programme. On 10 July the aircraft is renamed the A220. It extends the Airbus range below the A320 family.

March 2019

Worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX

After two accidents, in Indonesia (October 2018) and Ethiopia (March 2019), authorities worldwide ground the 737 MAX. Investigations point to an automatic flight-control system and to the certification process; the aircraft returns to commercial service from late 2020. The crisis leads to technical modifications and new pilot training requirements.

2020

Traffic collapses with the Covid-19 pandemic

Border closures cut worldwide air passenger traffic to a fraction of its 2019 level. Airlines retire many widebodies, and recovery stretches over several years. The shock also affects airports, manufacturers and their suppliers.

19 April 2021

Ingenuity flies on Mars

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter makes the first powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet. Designed as a technology demonstrator, it completes 72 flights before its mission ends in January 2024. The experiment demonstrates the feasibility of aerial reconnaissance in the very thin Martian atmosphere.

December 2021

Last A380 delivered

Airbus delivers its last A380 to Emirates, the programme's largest customer. Production, whose end had been announced in 2019, comes to a close. Aircraft already delivered nevertheless continue to serve routes with strong demand.

Airbus Encyclopedia network : A380-800

15 June 2022

First flight of the A321XLR

The extra-long-range version of the A321neo flies in Hamburg. It enters service in late 2024 with Iberia, enabling transatlantic routes with a single-aisle aircraft. Its range expands the A320 family’s operating possibilities in long-haul markets.

31 January 2023

Last Boeing 747 delivered

Boeing delivers the last 747 built, a 747-8 freighter, to Atlas Air at Everett. Production lasted more than fifty years. Freighter versions extend the type’s role in global goods transport.

28 May 2023

First commercial flight of the COMAC C919

China Eastern Airlines operates the first commercial C919 flight between Shanghai and Beijing. The Chinese single-aisle aircraft is certified by China's civil aviation authority. The launch marks an industrial milestone for China in the single-aisle airliner market.

2024–2026

2024–2026: eVTOLs in certification and the scale-up of SAF

Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) projects follow certification paths specific to each design and authority. Testing and regulatory approvals are distinct from commercial operations. Meanwhile, the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation requires a minimum share of 2% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in fuel supplied at covered Union airports from 2025. Scaling up SAF depends notably on production capacity and the availability of feedstocks that meet sustainability criteria.

November 2024

The A321XLR enters service

Iberia introduces the A321XLR into commercial service in November 2024 before deploying it between Madrid and Boston. The aircraft extends the A320 family’s range, notably through increased fuel capacity. It enables long-haul routes where demand may not justify a widebody aircraft.

28 January 2025

The Boom XB-1 breaks the sound barrier

Over the Mojave Desert, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator exceeds Mach 1. Boom describes it as the first independently developed supersonic aircraft. This test flight involves a demonstrator and does not constitute the certification or entry into service of an airliner.

February 2025

Airbus pushes back its ZEROe programme

Airbus announces a delay to its hydrogen airliner project, initially targeted for 2035, citing in particular the insufficient maturity of the hydrogen ecosystem. Onboard storage, fuel production and distribution remain major challenges. The delay underlines that decarbonisation also depends on energy infrastructure on the ground.

October 2025

The A320 family overtakes the 737 in total deliveries

The total number of A320-family aircraft delivered since 1988 exceeds that of Boeing 737s delivered since 1967. The A320 family becomes the most-delivered airliner. The shift reflects the importance of single-aisle aircraft in airline fleets.