 the maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground under its own power. this is similar to a ship's maiden voyage. the first flight of a new aircraft type is always a historic occasion for the type. it is also one of the most dangerous, because the exact handling characteristics of the aircraft are generally unknown. the first flight of a new type is almost invariably flown by a highly experienced test pilot. first flights are usually accompanied by a chase plane, to verify items like altitude, airspeed, and general airworthiness. a first flight is only one stage in the development of an aircraft type. unless the type is a pure research aircraft (such as the x-15), the aircraft must be tested extensively to ensure that it delivers the desired performance with an acceptable margin of safety. in the case of civilian aircraft, a new type must be certified by a governing agency (such as the federal aviation administration in the united states) before it can enter operation. == notable first flights ==    an incomplete list of first flights of notable aircraft types, organized by date, follows. * june, 1875 â thomas moy's aerial steamer, london, england (no pilot and attache)http://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/prehistory/late_1800s/ph4g7.htm * october 9, 1890 â clÃ©ment ader â took off from gretz-armainvilliers, ouest of paris, france * august 14, 1901 â gustave whitehead from leutershausen, bavaria * may 15, 1902 â lyman gilmore â took off from grass valley, california * march 31, 1903 â richard pearse â took off from waitohi flat, temuka, south island, new zealand * december 17, 1903 â wright brothers wright flyer â first heavier-than-air powered aircraft * march 18, 1906 â traian vuia, a romanian engineer, flew in montesson near paris, france. * october 23, 1906 â alberto santos-dumont 14-bis flight, in bagatelle park, paris, france * july 4, 1908 - glenn curtiss flew the first pre-announced public flight of a heavier-than-air flying machine. he flew 5,080 feet, to win the scientific american trophy and its $2,500 purse. * july 28, 1935 â boeing b-17 flying fortress â wwii american heavy bomber. * december 17, 1935 â douglas dc-3 â propeller-driven passenger and cargo aircraft of which more than 10,000 were produced * december 29, 1939 â consolidated b-24 â wwii american heavy bomber. * november 2, 1947 â hughes h-4 hercules â only flight of this oversized flying boat. * july 27, 1949 â [
Aerospace_engineering