First occasion in which an aircraft or rocket leaves the ground under its own power
This article is about aircraft and rockets. For other uses, seeFirst Flight.For the behaviour in eusocial insects, seeNuptial flight.
Themaiden flight, also known asfirst flight, of anaircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch ofrockets.
In the early days ofaviation it could be dangerous, because the exacthandling characteristics of the aircraft were generally unknown. The maiden flight of a new type is almost invariably flown by a highly experiencedtest pilot. Maiden flights are usually accompanied by achase plane, to verify items likealtitude,airspeed, and generalairworthiness.
A maiden flight is only one stage in the development of an aircraft type. Unless the type is a pure research aircraft (such as theX-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 theFederal Aviation Administration in the United States) before it can enter operation.
October 23, 1906 –Alberto Santos-Dumont14-bis made a manned powered flight in Bagatelle Park, Paris, France, that was the first to be publicly witnessed by a crowd.[2]
July 4, 1908 –Glenn Curtiss flew the first pre-announced public flight in the United States of America of a heavier-than-air flying machine. He flew 5,080 feet, to win theScientific American Trophy and its $2,500 purse (equivalent to $87,000 in 2024).
October 3, 1942 –V-2 Rocket made its first successful test flight. The nose cone crossed theKarman line, widely considered the end of Earth's atmosphere, making it the first human-made object to reach space.
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