The document provides an annotated timeline of key events in the development of the air transport industry from 1903 to 2009: - The Wright brothers' first powered flight in 1903 is noted as the beginning of powered flight. The world's first scheduled passenger flight occurred in 1914 between Florida cities. - The 1919 Paris Convention established early international air law. KLM and several other European airlines were also founded that year, marking the start of the commercial air transport industry. - Technological advancements like the DC-3 in 1935 increased passenger capacity. The jet age began with the de Havilland Comet in 1949 and Boeing 707 in 1954. Wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 747 in 1969 revolutionized

1. JosephThompson
Structure and Development of the Air Transport Industry:
Coursework 1 (CW1): Annotated Timeline
1903 – Orville Wright pilots the Wright Flyer on a 36.5 metre (120 feet) flight lasting
12 seconds at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This was the world's first manned,
powered, sustained and controlled flight by a heavier than air craft. Three further
flights were made, including one lasting nearly a minute. (Century of Flight, 2005)
1914 – The world’s first scheduled air service commences between St Petersburg
and Tampa in Florida, named the St Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line. The flight
covered 18 miles and took 23 minutes, 11 hours less than making the same journey
by rail. The aircraft used was a Benoist Model XIV, and could only carry one
passenger, who had to sit next to the pilot in the open cockpit. The route safely
transported 1204 passengers, however without a continuing subsidy from St
Petersburg or steady income from tourists, the route could not survive. The airline
closed after 3 months. (Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, 2007)
1919 – The Paris Convention takes place, widely regarded as the first multilateral
instrument of international law relating to air navigation. Several articles were
released relating to general principles of passage and nationality of aircraft. This has
become the backbone of international air law ever since. Also in 1919, 6 European
airlines set up the International Air Traffic Association to help standardise paperwork,
technical regulations and agree common rights for when airline incidents occur.
According to ICAO (2013), “There is a general acceptance that 1919 was the year
when the air transport industry was born. In many countries, both domestic and
international air services were launched on a sustained basis”.
Figure 1: The
openingof the
St Petersburg-
Tampa Airboat
Line (National
Airand Space
Museum
Archives)

2. JosephThompson
1919 – KLM Royal Dutch Airlines founded at The Hague. Its first scheduled service
was between Amsterdam and London using a single-engined biplane, making this
the oldest air service to be still operated today by the same company. KLM also
introduced the world’s first intercontinental air service, between Amsterdam and
Jakarta. (Wragg, 2007)
1924 – Imperial Airways founded in London through the merger of four small airlines.
Initially operating services to Europe, the airline soon established a network of
services to the countries of the British Empire using a combination of landplanes and
flying boats. Imperial Airways was eventually one of the components of the modern
day British Airways. (Wragg, 2007)
1924 – First aerial circumnavigation of the globe. Starting and finishing in Seattle, the
trip took 371 hours and 11 minutes with 57 stops in a Douglas World Cruiser.
(Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1927 – Founding of the Boeing Air Transport Company in order to carry airmail
between San Francisco and Chicago. Boeing has continually made world class
airliners to this day, and is the world’s leading aviation and aerospace group.
(Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1927 – Charles Lindbergh makes the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic,
between New York and Paris. Flying solo in the Spirit of St. Louis, he makes the
journey in 33 hours and 39 minutes. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1935 – Maiden flight of the Douglas DC-3, a development of the previous DC-2. This
is one of the most popular airliners of all time, and overall, Douglas built a total of
10655 DC-3s. A number are still in service today in the extreme north of Canada.
(Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
Figure 2: The
frontpage of
the ParisAir
Convention
(ICAO)

3. JosephThompson
1937 – The Hindenburg Airship crashes at Lakehurst, New Jersey, bringing the age
of the rigid airship to an end. After more than 30 years of passenger travel on
commercial zeppelins in which tens of thousands of passengers flew on more than
2,000 flights without a single injury, the era came to an end in a few minutes.
(Airships.net, 2009)
1944 – The Chicago Convention takes place, involving 52 states. Pending ratification
of the Convention by 26 states, the Provisional International Civil Aviation
Organization (PICAO) was established. PICAO was responsible for setting
international safety standards, navigational aids and air maps. It functioned until
1947, and by 5 March 1947 the 26th ratification was received. The International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) came into being on 4 April 1947. In October of the
same year, ICAO became a specialized agency of the United Nations. In addition to
the main Convention, two commercial rights were agreed on, called ‘Freedoms of the
Air’. The first granted the right to overfly a third country without landing, and the
second granted the right to land in a third country to refuel or repair but not to pick up
passengers or cargo. There are now a further seven freedoms, and all nine are still
in use today. The Convention and ICAO also dealt with ownership, stating that
“airlines operating air services on behalf of their country had to be substantially
owned and effectively controlled by nationals of the designating state”. (ICAO, 2014)
1945 – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) was formally founded in
Havana by 40 major airlines in order to control international airfares and cargo tariffs.
In 1946, delegates from the US and the UK met to resolve the outstanding issues
from the Chicago Convention. At this time, the third, fourth and fifth Freedoms of the
Air were implemented. Nowadays, IATA is a trade association for the world’s airlines,
representing 84% of air traffic worldwide, supporting many areas of aviation activity
and helping to formulate industry policy on important aviation issues. These issues
include safety, security, environmental performance and cost reduction. (IATA, 2014)
Figure 3:
International
Civil Aviation
Conference
(ICAO)

4. JosephThompson
1949 – Maiden flight of the de Havilland Comet, the world’s first jet airliner. The
Comet could fly at speeds up to 500mph, faster than any previous airliner, meaning
journey times were dramatically reduced. Also, rather than flying through storms, the
Comet flew above the weather, eight miles up in the stratosphere. Its air-conditioned,
fully pressurised cabin provided passengers with a quiet, smooth ride previously
unheard of on commercial airliners. The Comet marked the start of the Jet Age –
intercontinental travel became considerably faster and easier, and much of the world
became accessible within a single day’s travel for the first time. Jet airliners could
also carry more passengers meaning airfares were reduced. (Century of Flight,
2005)
1954 – Maiden flight of the Boeing 707, Boeing’s first jet airliner. Although not the
world’s first jet airliner, it is regarded by many as the first successful jet airliner due to
the fuselage problems with the Comet. When the Comet was grounded, many of its
orders shifted to Boeing, meaning the 707 was a worldwide success, becoming the
aircraft of choice for 600 different operators. It is also remarkable for its longevity;
half a century after its introduction, it is still in use today, despite the fact that it is
Figure 4: IATA
establishtheir
headquartersin
Montreal (Air
Canada)
Figure 5: de
Havilland
Comet– The
World’sFirst
Commercial Jet
Airliner(RAF
Museum)

5. JosephThompson
very uneconomical and can barely meet the noise regulations in place at most
European airports. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1967 – Maiden flight of the Boeing 737, an aircraft that has gone on to achieve
unprecedented success throughout the world. By the end of 2009, over 6000 aircraft
had been produced in 9 different variants. The 737 has been a hit with full-service
providers and budget carriers alike, and has several stand-out features, such as
short turnaround times and simplified maintenance procedures. (Kӧnemann and
Fecker, 2010)
1969 – Maiden flight of the Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde, the world’s first supersonic
airliner. Concorde cruised at over twice the speed of sound, meaning it could cross
the Atlantic in 3 hours, and carried 100 passengers. Concorde was retired in 2003
due to its noise, poor economics and susceptibility to faults. (Kӧnemann and Fecker,
2010)
1969 – Maiden flight of the Boeing 747, the world’s first wide-bodied airliner, and an
aircraft that revolutionised air travel. Joe Sutter, an aircraft designer for Boeing, was
given the challenge of building a large passenger airliner by Pan Am, and was given
just four years to develop and test it. Early models had a capacity of 366 passengers
and a range of around 6200 miles, higher than any other previous airliner. The 747
was a key contributor in bringing air travel to the masses and was a turning point in
aviation, as previously only wealthy people could afford to fly. Still in production
today, the 747 is one of the most important and successful airliners in history, and
over 1500 have been produced. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
Figure 6: Roll-
out of the first
production
Boeing707
(AirwaysNews)

6. JosephThompson
1971 – Southwest Airlines founded in Dallas, arguably the first true low cost carrier in
the world. Commencing operations with 3 Boeing 737s and operating the ‘Texas
Triangle’ between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Southwest now maintains a
fleet of over 500 B737s and operates a dense route network across the whole of
North America. It is the largest low cost carrier in the world, and set the trend for
hundreds of airlines around the world, such as Ryanair, Jetstar and easyJet. Its
business model is based around internet bookings, fuel hedging, rapid turnaround
times and no seat booking. Extras and services are non-existent, minimal or
available at a charge. (Wragg, 2007)
1972 – Maiden flight of the Airbus A300, the first aircraft produced by the Airbus
Consortium. Although a relatively unsuccessful airliner, the A300 effectively served
as a pilot project for a family of aircraft covering a whole range of distances and
passenger loads. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1978 - The Airline Deregulation Act was approved by Congress on 24 October and
signed into law four days later by President Jimmy Carter. Prior to this, US airlines
were controlled by the Civil Aeronautics Board (est. 1938) which regulated all air
services. Consequences of this highly regulated environment included no freedom of
Figure 7: Roll-
out of the first
production
Boeing747
(Plane-
Truth.com)
Figure 8:
Southwest
AirlinesBoeing
737-200
(Avstop.com)

7. JosephThompson
entry, no service competition, alleged price-fixing and low load factors. President
Jimmy Carter came into power in 1977, and one year later the US airline industry
was deregulated practically overnight. This made it much easier for new airlines to
be founded, airlines could compete and set their own airfares and domestic airlines
could start flying internationally and vice versa. Another key development of the Act
was the rise of Low Cost Carriers, as they could now set their own prices. (Avjobs,
2014)
1985 – Ryanair founded in Dublin as Europe’s first low cost carrier. Using only
Boeing 737s with closely spaced seating, Ryanair now operates over 800 routes
throughout Europe and carries more passengers than any other airline outside the
USA. All extras and services are charged on top of the ticket price, even check-in at
the airport. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
1998 – US Airways places an order for 276 Airbus A319s. Never before has an
airline ordered so many aircraft at once. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
2001 – On 11 September, 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial
airliners and deliberately crashed them into The World Trade Centre and The
Pentagon, resulting in the temporary total closure of North American airspace. Both
the immediate reaction to the attacks and the long-term repercussions have
negatively affected the industry. The legacy of 9/11 is felt most in airport security;
aviation is more secure today than in 2001. But this has come at a great cost in
terms of passenger convenience and industry costs. Passenger traffic took 3 years
to surpass the 2000 level, and many well-known airlines such as Swissair and Ansett
Australia were finished off by the events. (9/11 Memorial, 2014)
Figure 9: The
Airline
Deregulation
Act in1978,
whichallowed
airlinestofly
anywhere
(AirportSpotting
.com)

8. JosephThompson
2004 – Singapore Airlines commences non-stop flights between Singapore and New
York using an Airbus A340. Covering 16500km in over 18 hours, this is the longest
non-stop passenger flight in the world. (Kӧnemann and Fecker, 2010)
2005 – Maiden flight of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, an airliner capable of carrying
870 passengers in a full economy layout, more than any other previous airliner.
Singapore Airlines took delivery of the first A380 in 2007. (Kӧnemann and Fecker,
2010)
2009 – Maiden flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, an all-new, superefficient airliner.
Composite materials make up 50% of the primary structure of the 787, and in
addition to bringing longer ranges to midsize airliners, the 787 also provide airlines
with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance -
the airplane uses 20% less fuel than today's similarly sized aeroplanes. (Boeing,
2014)
2005
Figure 10: The
WorldTrade
Centre inNew
York (Daily
Mail)

9. JosephThompson
References
Airships.net (2009) The Hindenburg Disaster [online]. Available from:
http://www.airships.net/hindenburg/disaster [Accessed 4 November 2014]
Avjobs (2014) Airline Deregulation [online]. Available from:
http://www.avjobs.com/history/airline-deregulation.asp [Accessed 24 October 2014]
Boeing (2014) 787 Dreamliner: About the 787 Family [online]. Available from:
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/787family/background.page [Accessed 22
October 2014]
Century of Flight (2005) Aviation Timeline [online]. Available from: http://www.century-of-
flight.net/Aviation%20history/aviation%20timeline/1900_to_1910.htm [Accessed 21
October 2014]
IATA (2014) About Us [online]. Available from: http://www.iata.org/about/Pages/index.aspx
[Accessed 4 November 2014]
ICAO (2014) Convention on International Civil Aviation – Doc 7300 [online]. Available from:
http://www.icao.int/publications/pages/doc7300.aspx [Accessed 4 November 2014)
Kӧnemann, L. and Fecker A. (2010) The Complete Book of Flight. Bath: Parragon Books Ltd.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (2007) The Early Years of Air Transportation –
The World’s First Scheduled Airline [online]. Available from:
https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/america-by-
air/online/early_years/early_years01.cfm [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Wragg D. (2007) The World’s Major Airlines. 2nd Edition. Chalford: Patrick Stephens Ltd.
9/11 Memorial (2014) FAQ About 9/11 [online]. Available from:
http://www.911memorial.org/faq-about-911 [Accessed 24 October 2014]
Images
Figure 1: National Air and Space Museum Archives (n.d.) The opening of the St Petersburg-
Tampa Airboat Line [photograph] Available from:
https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/america-by-
air/online/abaImage.cfm?webID=101.p2a [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 2: ICAO (n.d.) The front page of the Paris Air Convention [scanned document]
Available from:
http://www.icao.int/secretariat/PostalHistory/1919_the_paris_convention.htm [Accessed
21 November 2014]

10. JosephThompson
Figure 3: ICAO (n.d.) International Civil Aviation Conference [photograph] Available from:
http://www.icao.int/ChicagoConference/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 4: Air Canada (n.d.) IATA establish their headquarters in Montreal [photograph]
Available from: http://75.aircanada.com/timeline/november-7-1944-iata-moves-to-canada-
75/ [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 5: RAF Museum (n.d.) de Havilland Comet – The World’s First Commercial Jet Airliner
[photograph] Available from: http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/archive-
exhibitions/comet-the-worlds-first-jet-airliner.aspx [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 6: Airways News (n.d.) Roll-out of the first production Boeing 707 [photograph]
Available from: http://airwaysnews.com/blog/2014/10/31/flashback-friday-57th-
anniversary-of-first-production-boeing-707-roll-out/ [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 7: Plane-Truth.com (n.d.) Roll-out of the first production Boeing 747 [photograph]
Available from: http://plane-truth.com/twa_800.htm [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 8: Avstop.com (n.d.) Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-200 [photograph] Available from:
http://avstop.com/history/historyofairlines/southwest.html [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 9: AirportSpotting.com (n.d.) The Airline Deregulation Act in 1978, which allowed
airlines to fly anywhere [photograph] Available from:
http://www.airportspotting.com/airlines-usa-aviation-book/ [Accessed 21 November 2014]
Figure 10: Daily Mail (n.d.) The World Trade Centre in New York [photograph] Available
from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2035160/Most-Afghans-know-9-11-
according-disturbing-poll.html [Accessed 21 November 2014]