Home > 2003 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 2003:

1 Events

February

• 1The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates, killing all seven occupants.
• Fina Air begins services.

May

• 25 - Boeing 727 mysteriously disappears in Angola, along with pilot Ben Charles PadillaBen Charles Padilla (born 1952 in Pensacola, Florida) is a small airplane pilot, and a jet airplane mechanic, who was lost on May 25 of 2003 in the African country of Angola. Padilla was in Angola because an airplane leasing company had sent him there to.

September

• Skip Holm, flying the modified P-51D 'Dago Red', sets a new closed-course piston-engine speed record of 507 mph at the Reno Air RacesF8F Bearcat, running up on the ramp. The Reno Air Races also known as the National Championship Air Races, take place annually at the Reno Stead Airport in Reno, Nevada. Air racing is billed as 'the world's fastest motor sport' and Reno is one of the few.

October

• 24October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. Events 69 Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus, the commander of the Danube armies, loyal to Vespasian, defeat the forces, the ConcordeThe Aerospatiale- BAC Concorde supersonic transport (SST) was one of only two supersonic passenger airliners to have seen commercial service. Concorde had a cruising speed of Mach 2. 04 and a cruise altitude of 56,000 feet ( 17,000 metres) with a delta wi makes its last scheduled commercial flight.
• First totally autonomous flight across the Atlantic by a computer-controlled model aircraftAircraft modeling or aeromodelling is a hobby that has been popular since the 1930s. It is constructing small airplanes using materials such as balsa wood, etc. A vast array of designs are possible, from ultra-simple gliders such as that pictured, to high.

November

• 26November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 35 days remaining. Events 1778 In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to discover Maui. 1805 Official opening of Thomas Tel, the last commercial ConcordeThe Aerospatiale- BAC Concorde supersonic transport (SST) was one of only two supersonic passenger airliners to have seen commercial service. Concorde had a cruising speed of Mach 2. 04 and a cruise altitude of 56,000 feet ( 17,000 metres) with a delta wi flight.

December

• 17December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 14 days remaining. Events 283 St Gaius becomes Pope. 384 St Siricius becomes Pope. 1538 Pope Paul III excommunicates King Henry VIII of England 1869 Suez C, on the anniversary of the Wright Flyer's achievement, SpaceShipOne is the first privately built, manned aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound,
• 25, United Transit 141 crashes in Benin, spreading rumors that it is the Boeing 727 that disappeared earlier during the year.
• December: The 100th birthday of aviation has begun.