This is a list of
aviation
Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...
-related events from 1958:
Events
* For the first time, the total of transatlantic passengers carried by air this year exceeds the total carried by sea.
*
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is an American aircraft company and a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.
Gulfstream designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and services business jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,000 ...
is founded in
Savannah,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
* The
Argentine Navy acquires its first
aircraft carrier by purchasing
HMS ''Warrior'' from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
* The
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
acquires aircraft of its own for the first time since the 1941 creation of the
Brazilian Air Force, purchasing two
Bell 47-J and three
Westland Widgeon helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
s.
January
* January 1
**During a revolt against
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
n
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez (25 April 1914 – 20 September 2001) was a Venezuelan military and general officer of the Army of Venezuela and the dictator of Venezuela from 1950 to 1958, ruling as member of the military junta from 19 ...
, rebel
Venezuelan Air Force
, colours = Bleu celeste
, colours_label =
, march = , "Hymn of the National Military Aviation"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December (Air Force Day)
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles =
, decorations =
, battle_honou ...
de Havilland Venom
The de Havilland DH 112 Venom is a British post-war single-engined jet aircraft developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. Much of its design was derived from the de Havilland Vampire, the firm's first jet-powered comb ...
,
de Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and the first to be powered by ...
, and
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...
aircraft attack
Miraflores Palace
The ''Palacio de Miraflores'' (Spanish for Miraflores Palace) is the official residence of the President of Venezuela. It is located on Urdaneta Avenue, Libertador Bolivarian Municipality in Caracas.
History Construction and decoration
Con ...
, the defense ministry, and other military targets in the
Caracas area.
**As a cost-saving measure, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
inactivates the
Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) (18 AF) is the only Numbered Air Force (NAF) in Air Mobility Command (AMC) and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. 18 AF was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 Janu ...
and reassigns its forces to the
Twelfth Air Force
The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The command is the air component to ...
.
* January 14 –
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founde ...
becomes the first foreign airline permitted to fly across the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
* January 26 –
British European Airways
British European Airways (BEA), formally British European Airways Corporation, was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974.
BEA operated to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. The a ...
(BEA) takes over all operation of
Cyprus Airways
Cyprus Airways (Greek: Κυπριακές Αερογραμμές) is the flag carrier airline of Cyprus, based at Larnaca International Airport. It commenced operations on 1 June 2017.
History
Cyprus Airways resumed operations in 2016 after win ...
routes, although Cyprus Airways continues to operate under its own name.
*January 31 – While a U.S. Air Force
Boeing B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long- range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
makes a simulated takeoff in
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
, a wheel casting failure causes its
tail assembly to strike the
runway
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concre ...
. One of the bomber's fuel tanks ruptures, and a fire breaks out that damages an armed
nuclear bomb aboard the aircraft, releasing some radioactive material into the environment.
February
* February 1 –
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. sets a record commercial
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
-to-
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, flight time of 6 hours 21 minutes.
[Aviation Hawaii: 1950–1959 Chronology of Aviation in Hawaii](_blank)
/ref>
* February 5 – Two United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
aircraft – a B-47B Stratojet and an F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...
– collide in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
off the coast of Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. The F-86 crashes after its pilot ejects, but the B-47B remains airborne, jettisons a Mark 15 hydrogen bomb into Wassaw Sound off Tybee Island
Tybee Island is a city and a barrier island located in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah, United States. Though the name "Tybee Island" is used for both the island and the city, geographically they are not identica ...
, Georgia, and makes an emergency landing
An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. The bomb has not been recovered.
* February 6 – The British European Airways
British European Airways (BEA), formally British European Airways Corporation, was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974.
BEA operated to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. The a ...
Airspeed Ambassador
The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador is a British twin piston-engined airliner that was designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Airspeed Ltd. It was one of the first postwar airliners to be produced.
The Ambassador was developed in ...
G-ALZU ''Lord Burghley'', operating as Flight 609, crashes on its third attempt to take off from a slush
Slush, also called slush ice, is a slurry mixture of small ice crystals (e.g., snow) and liquid water.
In the natural environment, slush forms when ice or snow melts or during mixed precipitation. This often mixes with dirt and other polluta ...
-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, killing 23, including eight Manchester United footballers.
* February 11 – Mohawk Airlines hires Ruth Carol Taylor as the first African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
flight attendant in history. Six months later, Mohawk will fire her for getting married, a common airline industry practice at the time.
* February 13 – A British Ministry of Defence White Paper
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white pape ...
makes Britain's nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
s programme public knowledge.
* February 16 – Eight hijackers
Hijacking may refer to:
Common usage
Computing and technology
* Bluejacking, the unsolicited transmission of data via Bluetooth
* Brandjacking, the unauthorized use of a company's brand
* Browser hijacking
* Clickjacking (including ''like ...
commandeer a Korean National Airlines
Korean National Airlines (KNA) was the first (commercial cargo and passenger) air carrier in Korea. Established in 1946 and incorporated in 1948 in South Korea, and its first official passenger flight was from Seoul to Pusan on October 30, 1948 ...
Douglas DC-3 with 34 people on board during a domestic flight in South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
from Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, ...
to Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
and force it to fly to Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
, North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
.
* February 25 – United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. sets a record commercial Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
-to-San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, flight time of 5 hours 43 minutes.
* February 27 – The Silver City Airways
Silver City Airways was an airline, based in the United Kingdom, that operated mainly in Europe, between 1946 and 1962. Unlike many airlines at the time, it was independent of government-owned corporations; its parent company was Zinc Corpora ...
Bristol 170 Freighter
The Bristol Type 170 Freighter is a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively s ...
''G-AICS'', travelling from Ronaldsway Airport
Ronaldsway () is a place in the parish of Malew in the south of the Isle of Man, between the village of Ballasalla and the town of Castletown.
Features
It is notable as the location of Isle of Man Airport and historically of RNAS Ronaldsway, to ...
, Ballasalla, on the Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
to Ringway Airport in Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, crashes into Winter Hill, Rivington Moor, Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, in North West England in bad weather, killing 35 of the 42 people on board and injuring all seven survivors.
March
* South Vietnams Republic of Vietnam Air Force
The South Vietnam Air Force, officially the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF; vi, Không lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa, KLVNCH; french: Force aérienne vietnamienne, FAVN) (sometimes referred to as the Vietnam Air Force or VNAF) was the aer ...
takes delivery of its first helicopters.
* Misrair, the future EgyptAir, renames itself United Arab Airlines. Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
's and Syria's merger on 1 February to form the United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic (UAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية المتحدة, al-Jumhūrīyah al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah) was a sovereign state in the Middle East from 1958 until 1971. It was initially a political union between Eg ...
prompts the name change.
* March 11 – A crewman aboard a United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
B-47E Stratojet
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Boeing company designation Model 450) is a retired American long- range, six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft ...
flying as part of a formation of four B-47s from Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, to England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
to conduct a mock bombing attack in Operation Snow Flurry accidentally releases a 7,600-pound (3,447-kilogram) Mark 6 nuclear bomb
The Mark 6 nuclear bomb was an American nuclear bomb based on the earlier Mark 4 nuclear bomb and its predecessor, the Mark 3 Fat Man nuclear bomb design.
The Mark 6 was in production from 1951 to 1955 and saw service until 1962. Seven variants ...
at an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,572 meters). The bomb smashes the closed bomb bay doors open and strikes the ground in Mars Bluff, South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
. Its high-explosive detonator explodes on impact, creating a crater 70 feet (21.3 meters) wide and 30 feet (9.1 meters) deep. The bomb's core
Core or cores may refer to:
Science and technology
* Core (anatomy), everything except the appendages
* Core (manufacturing), used in casting and molding
* Core (optical fiber), the signal-carrying portion of an optical fiber
* Core, the centra ...
is not in the weapon, so no nuclear explosion occurs.
* March 16 – Air Inter
Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) was a semi-public French domestic airline. Before its merger with Air France, the airline was headquartered in Paray-Vieille-Poste, Essonne.''World Airline Directory''. Flight International. 26 March-1 Apr ...
commences operations.
* March 22 – ''Lucky Liz'', the private twin-engine Lockheed Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar is a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.
Design and development
Sales of the 10–14 passenger Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra, which first flew in 1937, had proved disappointing, despite the ai ...
of American theater and film producer Mike Todd
Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of '' Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Act ...
, flying grossly overloaded in fog, snow, and thunderstorms, crashes in the Zuni Mountains near Grants
Grant or Grants may refer to:
Places
* Grant County (disambiguation)
Australia
* Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia
United Kingdom
*Castle Grant
United States
* Grant, Alabama
*Grant, Inyo County, ...
, New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
, when one of its engines fails in icing conditions. All four people aboard the plane die, including Todd and his biographer, the American sportswriter, screenwriter, and author Art Cohn. Todd's wife, American actress Elizabeth Taylor, is not aboard because she had stayed home with a bout of bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
.[planecrashinfo.com Famous People Who Died in Aviation Accidents: 1950s](_blank)
/ref>
April
* The Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor is a British jet-powered strategic bomber developed and produced by Handley Page during the Cold War. It was the third and final '' V bomber'' to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avr ...
strategic bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
begins to enter squadron service with the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
.
* April 6 – Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount is a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.
The Vi ...
''N7437'', operating as Capital Airlines Flight 67, stalls and crashes into Saginaw Bay near Freeland
Freeland may refer to:
Places Canada
*Freeland, Prince Edward Island
United Kingdom
*Freeland, Oxfordshire
United States
*Freeland, Maryland
*Freeland, Michigan
*Freeland, Ohio
*Freeland, Pennsylvania
*Freeland, Washington
Other uses
*Freel ...
, Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, while on approach to Freeland-Tri City Airport in Saginaw
Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
, Michigan. All 47 people aboard die. The cause is attributed to ice accretion on the horizontal stabilizer.
* April 9 – A Cubana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación S.A., commonly known as Cubana, is Cuba's flag carrier, as well as the country's largest airline. It was founded in , becoming one of the earliest airlines to emerge in Latin America. It has its corporate headquarters in Ha ...
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount is a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.
The Vi ...
with 13 people on board is hijacked during a domestic flight in Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
from Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. to Santa Clara and forced to fly to Mérida, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
* April 10 – A rebellious Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...
(ROKAF) captain attempts to hijack a ROKAF Curtiss C-46 Commando with seven people on board during a domestic flight in South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
from Daegu to Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
and force it to fly him to North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
. A struggle ensures in which the hijacker shoots one of the crew members to death, but he is subdued and the plane diverts to a landing at Pyongtaek
Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to ...
, South Korea.
* April 13 – The three crew members of a Cubana de Aviación Douglas DC-3 with 12 passengers on board making a domestic flight in Cuba from Havana to Santa Clara illegally fly the airliner to Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, instead to seek refuge in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
* April 21 – United Airlines Flight 736
United Air Lines Flight 736 was a scheduled transcontinental passenger service flown daily by United Airlines between Los Angeles and New York City. On April21, 1958, the airliner assigned to the flight, a Douglas DC-7 with 47 on board, was fl ...
, a Douglas DC-7
The Douglas DC-7 is an American transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. A derivative of the DC-6, it was the last major piston engine-powered transport made by Douglas, being developed shortly after the earl ...
bound for Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, collides at with a U.S. Air Force F-100 Super Sabre fighter on a training mission near Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. All 47 persons aboard the airliner and both F-100 crew members are killed.
* April 28
** A B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
bomber flown by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
employee William H. Beale in support of Indonesian Permesta
Permesta was a rebel movement in Indonesia, its name based on the Universal Struggle Charter (or ''Piagam Perjuangan Semesta'') that was declared on 2 March 1957 by civil and military leaders in East Indonesia. Initially the center of the movem ...
rebels bombs the harbor at Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Located on the east coast of the island of Borneo, the city is the financial center of Kalimantan. Balikpapan is the city with the largest economy in Kalimantan with an estimated ...
, Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, sinking the British oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined cru ...
and hitting the British oil tanker with a 500-pound (227-kg) bomb that bounces overboard without exploding. In June, the Indonesian and British governments both will claim that Indonesian rebels flew the bomber, concealing the CIA's involvement.
** Aerlínte Éireann, a division of Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish , meaning "air fleet" compare Welsh 'llynges awyr') is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary ...
, makes the first transatlantic flight
A transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, Africa, South Asia, or the Middle East to North America, Central America, or South America, or ''vice versa''. Such flights have been made by fixed-wing air ...
by an Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
airline, using a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
The Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation is an American aircraft, a member of the Lockheed Constellation aircraft line. The L-1049 was Lockheed's response to the successful Douglas DC-6 airliner, first flying in 1950. The aircraft was also produc ...
for a flight from Shannon to New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
.
May
* May 7 – U.S. Air Force Major Howard C. Johnson of the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron 83rd may refer to:
*83rd Academy Awards, a ceremony that honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27, 2011
*83rd Grey Cup, the 1995 Canadian Football League championship game
*83rd meridian east, a line of lon ...
sets a new world record for altitude, flying a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...
to 27,813 meters (91,249 feet).[Angelucci, Enzo, ''The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft From 1917 to the Present'', New York: Orion Books, 1987, p. 283.]
* May 16 – U.S. Air Force Captain Walter W. Irwin sets a new world airspeed record of 1,404 mph (2,259 km/h) in an F-104 Starfighter, the first record over 2,000 km/h (1,242 mph).
* May 17 – Four F3H Demon
The McDonnell F3H Demon is a subsonic swept-wing United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. The successor to the F2H Banshee, the Demon was originally designed to use the Westinghouse J40 engine, but had to be redesigned to acc ...
s and four F8U Crusaders make a non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
.
* May 18
** Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n forces shoot down a B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
bomber flown by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
employee Allen Pope in support of Indonesian Permesta
Permesta was a rebel movement in Indonesia, its name based on the Universal Struggle Charter (or ''Piagam Perjuangan Semesta'') that was declared on 2 March 1957 by civil and military leaders in East Indonesia. Initially the center of the movem ...
rebels and capture Pope. In June, the Indonesian and British governments both will claim that Indonesian rebels flew the bomber, concealing the CIA's involvement.
** In a zero-length launch
The zero-length launch system or zero-length take-off system (ZLL, ZLTO, ZEL, ZELL) was a method whereby jet fighters and attack aircraft could be near-vertically launched using rocket motors to rapidly gain speed and altitude. Such rocket boost ...
(ZEL) experiment, a U.S. Air Force North American F-100D Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
becomes airborne with no runway or take-off roll at all, using its own engine in afterburner
An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff, and co ...
and boosted by a 130,000-pound- (58,967-kg)-thrust Astrodyne rocket.
* May 20 – Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount is a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.
The Vi ...
N7410 of Capital Airlines collides in mid-air with a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (or T-Bird) is an American subsonic jet trainer. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then d ...
of the Air National Guard. All eleven on board the Viscount are killed when it crashes at Brunswick, Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, as is one of the two crew members of the T-33.
* May 22–23 – Flying a Douglas F4D-1 Skyray, United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
Major N. LeFaivre breaks five world climb-to-height records, including 15,000 meters (49,221 feet) in 2 minutes 36 seconds.
* May 25 – A Dan-Air
Dan-Air (Dan Air Services Limited) was an airline based in the United Kingdom and a wholly owned subsidiary of London shipbroking firm Davies and Newman. It was started in 1953 with a single aircraft. Initially, it operated cargo and passenger ...
Avro 685 York C.1 cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft (also known as freight aircraft, freighter, airlifter or cargo jet) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft usually do not incorporate passenger ...
suffers an in-flight engine fire and crashes during a forced landing
A forced landing is a landing by an aircraft made under factors outside the pilot's control, such as the failure of engines, systems, components, or weather which makes continued flight impossible. For a full description of these, see article on ' ...
near Gurgaon, Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, killing four members of the five-person crew.
* May 26 – The Short SC.1
The Short SC.1 was the first British fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet aircraft. It was developed by Short Brothers. It was powered by an arrangement of five Rolls-Royce RB.108 turbojets, four of which were used for vertical ...
experimental VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-wi ...
aircraft makes its first (tethered) vertical flight, in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
June
* June 2 – Shortly after takeoff from Guadalajara Airport in Guadalajara, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, for a flight to Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
, Aeronaves de México Flight 111, a Lockheed L-749A Constellation
The Lockheed L-749 Constellation is the first Lockheed Constellation to regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. Although similar in appearance to the L-649 before it, the L-749 had a larger fuel capacity, strengthened landing gear, and even ...
(registration XA-MEV), crashes into La Latilla Mountain, 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Guadalajara Airport, killing all 45 people on board in what at the time is the deadliest aviation accident in Mexican history. Two prominent American scientists – oceanographer
Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamic ...
Townsend Cromwell
Townsend Cromwell (November 3, 1922 – June 2, 1958) was an oceanographer who discovered the Cromwell current while researching drifting in the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean. He died in an the airplane crash of the Aeroméxico Flight ...
and fisheries scientist Bell M. Shimada
Bell M. Shimada (January 17, 1922 - June 2, 1958) was an American fisheries scientist. He is noted for his study during the 1950s of tuna stocks in the tropical Pacific Ocean and its important effect on the development of the post- World War II ...
– are among the dead. The post-accident investigation will find that the airliner's crew did not follow the established climb-out procedure for the airport after taking off.
* June 9 – London Gatwick Airport opens after two years of extensive reconstruction. It is the first multimodal airport in the world, with direct rail connections from the main terminal to London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and Brighton.
* June 26 – A Grumman TF-1 Trader of U.S. Navy Air Transport Squadron 21 (VR-21) carries a Westinghouse J34
The Westinghouse J34, company designation Westinghouse 24C, was a turbojet engine developed by Westinghouse Aviation Gas Turbine Division in the late 1940s. Essentially an enlarged version of the earlier Westinghouse J30, the J34 produced 3,000 ...
jet engine from San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, on a 300-mile (483-km) flight to the anti-submarine warfare carrier
An anti-submarine warfare carrier (ASW carrier) (US hull classification symbol CVS) is a type of small aircraft carrier whose primary role is as the nucleus of an anti-submarine warfare hunter-killer group. This type of ship came into existenc ...
, then at sea in the Pacific Ocean. It is the first delivery of an aircraft engine via carrier onboard delivery
Carrier onboard delivery (COD) is the use of aircraft to ferry personnel, mail, supplies, and high-priority cargo, such as replacement parts, from shore bases to an aircraft carrier at sea. Several types of aircraft, including helicopters, have ...
.
* June 28 – The 22-year operational career of the Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...
comes to an end with a six-plane formation fly-past over their base by the Southern Communications Squadron at Bovington
Bovington Camp () is a British Army military base in Dorset, England. Together with Lulworth Camp it forms part of Bovington Garrison.
The garrison is home to The Armour Centre and contains two barracks complexes and two forest and heathland tr ...
, Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...
, in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.[Donald, David, ed., ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft'', New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997, , p. 81.]
July
* Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc (; ar, الخطوط الملكية المغربية, , literally ''Royal Moroccan Lines'' or ''Royal Moroccan Airlines''; ber, ⴰⵎⵓⵏⵉ ⴰⵢⵍⴰⵍ ⴰⴳⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰⴽⵓⵛ, ''Amuni Aylal Age ...
initiates a number of long-haul routes using four Lockheed L-749 Constellation
The Lockheed L-749 Constellation is the first Lockheed Constellation to regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean non-stop. Although similar in appearance to the L-649 before it, the L-749 had a larger fuel capacity, strengthened landing gear, and even ...
s leased from Air France
Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global a ...
. The arrival of the Constellations allows the airline to withdraw its Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is an American four-engined (piston), propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Military versions of the plane, the C-54 and R5D, served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1 ...
s from long-haul service.
* July 1 – Royal Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
is founded. Initially, its fleet consists of a single Douglas DC-3.
* July 3 – The "Telecopter," a Bell Model 47
The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first he ...
rented by television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the eart ...
KTLA in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and outfitted with a television camera, makes the worlds first flight by a television news
News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or telev ...
helicopter. Its inventor, John D. Silva, is aboard. When the television station reports that it is receiving no video, Silva exits the helicopters cockpit to climb onto its landing skid while it hovers at 1,500 feet (457 m) so that he can investigate the microwave
Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about one meter to one millimeter corresponding to frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz respectively. Different sources define different frequency ra ...
transmitter bolted to its side, where he discovers that a vacuum tube has failed due to vibration and hot weather. After Silva fixes the problem overnight, the Telecopter makes its first successful news flight the following day.
* July 15–16 – Aircraft from the United States Navy aircraft carrier cover United States Army and U.S. Marine Corps landings in Lebanon in Operation Blue Bat, the American intervention in the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Air support begins with a flight by 50 ''Essex'' jets over Beirut on July 15.
* July 29 – President of the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the National Aeronautics and Space Act, disestablishing the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) and creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), both effective October 1, 1958.
August
* Pacific Southwest Airlines inaugurates service to Los Angeles International Airport.
* August 9 – Central African Airways Flight 890, a Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount is a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner.
The Vi ...
airliner, crashes near Benina International Airport outside Benghazi, Libya, killing 36 of the 54 people on board. It is the deadliest aviation accident in Libyan history at the time.
* August 14 – The KLM Lockheed Constellation, Lockheed Super Constellation ''Hugo de Groot'' (''PH-LKM'') KLM Flight 607-E, crashes in the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
180 km (112 mi) west of Shannon Airport, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, perhaps due to mechanical failure, killing all 99 on board. Six members of Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
's national fencing team are among the dead.
* August 23
**The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis begins with People's Republic of China artillery shelling the Nationalist Chinese-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu Islands, Matsu. During the crisis, the U.S. Navy attack aircraft carriers and patrol nearby, and F8U Crusader fighters from them make 1,000-knot (1,150-mph; 1,852-km/hr) sweeps along the coast of China.
**President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, dissolving the United States government role in civil aviation#Civil Aeronautics Authority, Civil Aeronautics Administration and Civil Aeronautics Board and transferring all authority over aviation operations in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
to the newly created Federal Aviation Agency (FAA, later renamed Federal Aviation Administration).
September
* September 2 – An Independent Air Travel Vickers VC.1 Viking cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft (also known as freight aircraft, freighter, airlifter or cargo jet) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft usually do not incorporate passenger ...
carrying a cargo of two Bristol Proteus turboprop engines suffers engine trouble soon after takeoff from London Heathrow Airport. While attempting to reach Blackbushe Airport for an emergency landing
An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
, the Viking 1958 London Vickers Viking accident, crashes into a row of houses in Southall, London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, killing its entire crew of three and a mother and three children on the ground.
* September 5 – One or more hijackers
Hijacking may refer to:
Common usage
Computing and technology
* Bluejacking, the unsolicited transmission of data via Bluetooth
* Brandjacking, the unauthorized use of a company's brand
* Browser hijacking
* Clickjacking (including ''like ...
attempt to commandeer an Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-14, Ilyushin Il-14P with 17 people on board during a domestic flight in the Soviet Union from Leningrad to Tallinn. Passengers overpower the hijacker or hijackers, one person dies in the struggle, and the airliner diverts to a landing at Jõhvi.
* September 6 – The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that U.S. Navy forces be given permission for more aggressive action the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, including carrier air strikes against the territory of the People's Republic of China, but President of the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower rejects the idea.
* September 18 – East Germany establishes the airline Interflug as a hedge against its national airline, Deutsche Lufthansa (East Germany), Deutsche Lufthansa (DLH), losing a trademark lawsuit to the West Germany, West German airline Lufthansa, which in 1954 in aviation#August, August 1954 had purchased the right to use the name of the defunct pre-1945 German airline Deutsche Luft Hansa. Pending legal developments, Interflug operates as a charter airline until taking over DLH's assets upon the liquidation of DLH in 1963 in aviation#September, September 1963.
* September 20 – During a high-speed flyby in an air show at RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, prototype Avro Vulcan bomber (serial number ''VX770'') suffers total collapse of the starboard wing and 1958 Syerston Avro Vulcan crash, crashes, killing its entire crew and three people on the ground.
* September 24 – During the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, a dogfight breaks out between 32 Republic of China Air Force North American F-86 Sabre, F-86F Sabres and over 100 Peoples Republic of China MiG aircraft. During the engagement, guided air-to-air missiles are employed in combat for the first time when the Sabres use AAM-N-7 Sidewinder IA – later known as AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-9B Sidewinder IA – missiles to down several MiG-15 (NATO reporting name "Fagot") fighters and at least ten MiG-17s (NATO reporting name "Fresco").
* September 30 – Britain's last flying boat is withdrawn from commercial service when Aquila Airways terminates its service on the Southampton--Funchal (Madeira) route.
October
* October 1 – In the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, in accordance with the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) is dissolved and its successor, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), begins operations.
* October 4 – British Overseas Airways Corporation, BOAC de Havilland Comet, de Havilland Comet 4 ''G-APDB'' makes the first commercial transatlantic flight, transatlantic crossing by a jet airliner, from London Heathrow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York International Airport, Anderson Field via Gander International Airport, Gander.
* October 8 – In Manhigh III, the third and final flight of the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
's Project Manhigh, Air Force Lieutenant Clifton M. McClure ascends to an altitude of 29,900 meters (98,097 feet) in a helium balloon, the second-highest altitude achieved in Manhigh.
* October 10 – A Fairchild C-123 Provider, C-123B Provider serving as a maintenance support aircraft for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds air demonstration team flies into a flock of birds and crashes near Payette, Idaho, Payette, Idaho, killing the entire flight crew of five and all 14 maintenance personnel on board. It remains the worst accident in Thunderbirds history.
* October 15 – The first North American X-15 is rolled out at North American Aviations facility at Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
* October 19 – A People's Republic of China-owned Tupolev Tu-104 crashes at Kanash in the Soviet Union during a regular flight between Beijing and Moscow, killing all 65 passengers and crew members. Among those killed are 16 People's Republic of China, Chinese government officials, one United Kingdom, Briton, four East Germany, East Germans and the son of the Cambodian ambassador to China.
* October 22
**The Vickers Viscount, Vickers Viscount 701 ''G-ANHC'', operating as British European Airways Flight 142, collides with an Italian Air Force North American F-86 Sabre, F-86E Sabre over Anzio, Italy. Both aircraft crash; the F-86E pilot ejects and survives, but all 31 people aboard the Viscount die.
** Three rebels Aircraft hijacking, hijack a Cubana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación S.A., commonly known as Cubana, is Cuba's flag carrier, as well as the country's largest airline. It was founded in , becoming one of the earliest airlines to emerge in Latin America. It has its corporate headquarters in Ha ...
Douglas DC-3 with 14 people on board during a domestic flight in Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
from Frank País, Cuba, Cayo Mambi to Moa, Cuba, Moa and force it land at a rebel-held airfield in the Sierra Maestra mountain range in southeastern Cuba.
* October 25 – The Short SC.1
The Short SC.1 was the first British fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet aircraft. It was developed by Short Brothers. It was powered by an arrangement of five Rolls-Royce RB.108 turbojets, four of which were used for vertical ...
experimental VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-wi ...
aircraft makes its first free vertical flight.
* October 26
**Snowy Mountains Scheme worker Tom Sonter accidentally discovers the wreckage of the Australian National Airways (1930), Australian National Airways Avro 618 Ten ''Southern Cloud'', which had Southern Cloud, disappeared without trace in bad weather over the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, Australia, with the loss of all eight people on board on March 21, 1931, in Australias first airline disaster.
**The first commercial flight by a Boeing 707 jet airliner takes place, on Pan American World Airways Transatlantic flight, transatlantic service from New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
to Paris.
November
* Trans-Pacific Airlines changes its name to Aloha Airlines.
* November 4 – Shortly after takeoff from Dyess Air Force Base outside Abilene, Texas, Abilene, Texas, a United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, B-47 Stratojet carrying a nuclear bomb catches fire. It reaches an altitude of 1,500 feet (457 meters) before it crashes, killing one of its four crewmen. High explosive material in the bomb explodes, creating a crater 6 feet (1.8 meters) deep and 35 feet (10.7 meters) in diameter, but there is no nuclear explosion.
* November 6 – Rebels Aircraft hijacking, hijack a Cubana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación S.A., commonly known as Cubana, is Cuba's flag carrier, as well as the country's largest airline. It was founded in , becoming one of the earliest airlines to emerge in Latin America. It has its corporate headquarters in Ha ...
Douglas DC-3 with 29 people on board during a domestic flight in Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
from Manzanillo, Cuba, Manzanillo to Holguín and force it land at a rebel-held airfield in Cuba.
* November 25 – The English Electric P.1B, the first fully developed prototype of the English Electric Lightning, exceeds Mach number, Mach 2 for the first time.
* November 26 – A U.S. Air Force B-47 Stratojet with a nuclear bomb aboard is destroyed by fire while on the ground at Chennault Air Force Base near Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lake Charles, Louisiana. High-explosive material in the bomb detonates, contaminating the bomber's wreckage and the surrounding area with radioactivity, but there is no nuclear explosion.
December
* An operational Royal Navy fighter squadron fires air-to-air missiles for the first time, when three de Havilland Sea Venoms of 893 Naval Air Squadron, No. 893 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier fire de Havilland Firestreak, Firestreak missiles at target drones over the Mediterranean Sea off Malta, scoring 80 percent hits.
* December 4 – Flying a Cessna 172, Cessna 172 Skyhawk (registration N9172B), Robert Timm and John Cook take off from McCarran International Airport, McCarran Airfield in Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. They will remain airborne continuously for 64 days 22 hours 19 minutes 5 seconds before landing at McCarran Airfield on 1998 in aviation#February, February 4, 1959, setting a new Flight endurance record#Refueled.2C Manned, world record for manned flight endurance.
* December 10 – National Airlines (1934–1980), National Airlines becomes the first airline to offer jet service on domestic flights within the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, using a Boeing 707 leased from Pan American World Airways for flights between Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, and New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
.
* December 18 – The Bell XV-3 Tiltrotor makes the first true mid-air transition from vertical helicopter-type flight to fully level fixed-wing flight.
* December 23 – Syrian Airways merges into United Arab Airlines (the future EgyptAir). United Arab Airlines takes over all of Syrian Airways' routes and aircraft.
* December 24 – During a test flight to renew its certificate of airworthiness, the BOAC Bristol Britannia, Bristol Britannia 312 ''G-AOVD'' 1958 Bristol Britannia 312 crash, crashes near Sopley and Winkton, Dorset, Winkton, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, killing nine of the 12 people on board and injuring all three survivors.
First flights
January
* January 17– Aviamilano Nibbio
* January 19 – Fuji T-1
*January 20 – Nord 3400[Taylor 1961, p. 61.]
* January 25 – Aer Lualdi L.55
*January 31 – North American T2J-1, first variant of the T2J Buckeye, redesignated as the North American T-2 Buckeye, T-2 Buckeye in September 1962
February
* February 22 – Auster Workmaster
* February 25 – Doak VZ-4
March
* March 5 – Yakovlev Yak-28
* March 11 – Handley Page Dart Herald
* March 15 – Antonov An-14
* March 25 – Avro CF-105 Arrow ''RL201'' at Malton, Ontario, Malton, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
* March 27 – Aerfer Ariete
April
* April 17 – LIPNUR Belalang
* April 22 – Boeing Vertol 107-II
* April 24 – SIPA S.1100
* April 30 – Blackburn Buccaneer ''XK 486''
May
* May 2 – Kaman K-17
* May 12
**Dassault Mirage III, Dassault Mirage IIIA
**Morane-Saulnier Epervier, Morane-Saulnier M.S. 1500 Epervier[.]
* May 21
**Dassault Étendard IV, Dassault Étendard IVM
**Bréguet 941, Breguet 940
**PZL-102 Kos
* May 27 – McDonnell XF4H-1, prototype of the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, F-4 Phantom II
* May 30 – Douglas DC-8
June
* June 2 – Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III, the "Super Crusader"
* June 5 – Sud Aviation SE-116 Voltigeur
* June 9 – Agusta AZ8-L
* June 15 – Westland Westminster
* June 20 – Westland Wessex
* June 26 – PZL M-2
July
* July 4 – SAN Jodel D.140 Mousquetaire
* July 5 – Bristol Belvedere
* July 8 – Borgward Kolibri
* July 20 – Saro P.531
* July 30 – de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou ''CF-KTK-X''
August
* August 14 – Grumman Gulfstream I
* August 28 – Beechcraft Queen Air Model 65
* August 31 – A-5 Vigilante, North American A3J-1 Vigilante
September
* September 16 – North American Sabreliner, North American NA265-40 Sabreliner
* September 24
**Beijing 1
**HAL Pushpak
November
* Adams-Wilson Hobbycopter
* November 6 – Downer Bellanca 260
December
* December 4 – Baade B-152 V1 Prototype
* December 12 – Dornier Do 29
* December 17 – Wassmer WA-30 Bijave
* December 25 – Sukhoi Su-11 (NATO reporting name "Fishpot-C")
Entered service
* Beriev Be-10 (NATO reporting name "Mallow") with the 2nd Squadron of Soviet Naval Aviation′s 977th Independent Naval Long-range Reconnaissance Air Regiment
January
* January 26 – Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...
with the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
s 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron 83rd may refer to:
*83rd Academy Awards, a ceremony that honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27, 2011
*83rd Grey Cup, the 1995 Canadian Football League championship game
*83rd meridian east, a line of lon ...
at Hamilton Air Force Base, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
April
* April 9 – Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor is a British jet-powered strategic bomber developed and produced by Handley Page during the Cold War. It was the third and final '' V bomber'' to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avr ...
with the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
′s No. 10 Squadron RAF, No. 10 Squadron at RAF Cottesmore
* April 21 – Vertol Model 44 with New York Airways
May
* Canadair CP-107 Argus, Canadair CL-28 Argus with the Royal Canadian Air Force′s 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron, No. 405 Squadron
* May 26 – F-105 Thunderchief, Republic F-105B Thunderchief with the U.S. Air Force's 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base
June
* Supermarine Scimitar with 803 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm
August
* Boeing 707 with Pan American World Airways
November
* November 3 – de Havilland Sea Vixen to 700 Naval Air Squadron
December
* Lockheed L-188 Electra with American Airlines
Retirements
*Curtiss P-40, by the Brazilian Air Force
April
* April 16 – Convair R3Y Tradewind by United States Navy VR-2, Transport Squadron 2 (VR-2)[Polmar, Norman, "Historic Aircraft: Great But Impractical Aircraft," ''Naval History'', June 2012, p. 13.]
* April 22 – Westland Wyvern by 813 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy
June
* June 28 – Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...
by the Southern Communications Squadron
References
*
*
*
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1958 in aviation,
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