Maiden flight

The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.

This article is about aircraft and rockets. For other uses of the term, see First Flight (disambiguation).

The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is always a historic occasion for the type and can be quite emotional for those involved. In the early days of aviation it could be dangerous, because the exact handling characteristics of the aircraft were generally unknown. The maiden flight of a new type is almost invariably flown by a highly experienced test pilot. Maiden flights are usually accompanied by a chase plane, to verify items like altitude, airspeed, and general airworthiness.

A maiden 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.

Notable maiden flights (aircraft)
Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903
Concorde on March 2, 1969
Airbus A380 on April 27, 2005

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

Notable maiden flights (rockets)
  • October 3, 1942 – V-2 Rocket made its first successful test flight. The nose cone crossed the Karman line, widely considered the end of Earth's atmosphere, making it the first human-made object to reach space.
  • August 3, 1953 – PGM-11 Redstone, designed by Wernher von Braun, was the US's first large ballistic missile. Launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 4, it flew for 80 seconds until an engine failure caused it to crash into the sea.
  • October 4, 1957 – Sputnik, first orbital rocket.
  • December 22, 1960 – Vostok-K, first human-rated rocket (first manned flight April 12, 1961).
  • November 9, 1967 – Saturn V, most powerful rocket launched so far, was used to launch humans to the Moon.
  • April 12, 1981 – Space Shuttle, first partially reusable launch system, largest payload at the time of its maiden flight.
  • December 21, 2004 – Delta IV Heavy, largest payload at the time of its maiden flight.
  • February 6, 2018 – Falcon Heavy, largest payload at the time of its maiden flight, partially reusable.[3]

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maiden flights.
  1. Gary Bradshaw. "Thomas Moy's Aerial Steamer, 1874. lifted six inches (15 centimeters) off the ground". U.S. Centennial of Flight. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  2. "10 Milestone Flights". Air and Space Magazine.
  3. Harwood, William (February 6, 2018). "SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch puts on spectacular show in maiden flight". CBS News. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
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