Maiden flight

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The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage.

The first flight of a new aircraft type is always a historic occasion for the type. It is also one of the most dangerous, because the exact handling characteristics of the aircraft are generally unknown. The first flight of a new type is almost invariably flown by a highly experienced test pilot. First flights are usually accompanied by a chase aircraft, to verify items like altitude, airspeed, and general air-worthiness.

A first flight is only one stage in the development of an aircraft type. Unless the type is a pure research aircraft (such as the X-15), the aircraft must be tested extensively to ensure that it delivers the desired performance with an acceptable margin of safety. In the case of civilian aircraft, a new type must be certified by a governing agency (such as the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States) before it can enter operation.

[edit] Notable first flights

An incomplete list of first flights of notable aircraft types, organized by date, follows.

December 17, 1903 - Wright brothers Wright Flyer.
July 28, 1935 - Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
December 17, 1935 - Douglas DC-3.
December 29, 1939 - Consolidated B-24.
November 2, 1947 - Hughes H-4 Hercules. The only flight of this oversized flying boat.
July 27, 1949 - de Havilland Comet. First jet airliner.
August 23, 1954 - Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Military transport.
April 25, 1962 - Lockheed A-12 Blackbird. Supersonic spyplane.
April 9, 1967 - Boeing 737. Medium-range airliner.
December 31, 1968 - Tupolev Tu-144. Soviet Supersonic Airliner.
February 9, 1969 - Boeing 747. Widebody airliner.
March 2, 1969 - Anglo-French Concorde. Supersonic transport.
1970-Mil Mi-24 Russian-made helicopter used by many countries to this day.
December 21, 1988 - Antonov An-225 Mriya. The heaviest and largest flying airplane.
April 27, 2005 - Airbus A380. Double-decker airliner.

[edit] References

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