1949: Dick Reider and Bill Barris set a world endurance record for a flight-refueled aircraft in the U.S. They flew continuously in their Aeronca Chief light aircraft for 1,008 hours, one minute (over six weeks). They received food and fuel handed up from a speeding vehicle four times a day.

1962: In utmost secrecy at the remote airfield in Groom Dry Lake, Nevada, the first Lockheed A-12 makes its first flight. It is the first of a family of top-secret spyplanes.

1972: The first Lockheed L-1011 TriStar enters scheduled service, with Eastern Air Lines, on its route from Miami to New York.

1987: The first full-scale prototype of Saab’s hi-tech JAS 39 Gripen fighter is unveiled in Sweden.

1991: Air Exel is formed in cooperation with KLM.

1995: A Mikoyan MiG-29 sets a new FAI class C-1h world altitude record of 90,092 ft.