1961 in aviation
| Years in aviation |
|---|
| 1956 |
| 1957 |
| 1958 |
| 1959 |
| 1960 |
| 1961 |
| 1962 |
| 1963 |
| 1964 |
| 1965 |
| 1966 |
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961:
Events
February
- February 3 - Operation Looking Glass commences, meaning that the US Air Force Strategic Air Command would have a permanent, airborne command post.
March
- March 28 - Air Afrique is formed
April
- April 1 - Venezuelan airline VIASA commences operations
- April 12 - Yuri Gagarin makes the first human spaceflight in Vostok 1, orbiting the Earth once, in108 minutes.
June
- June 1 - United Air Lines absorbs Capital Airlines to become the largest airline in the West, with a fleet of 267 aircraft.
- June 21-22 - a Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan makes the first non-stop flight from England to Australia
July
September
- September 12 - the Hawker P.1127 makes its first transitions from vertical to horizontal flight and back
November
- November 25 - the US Navy's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise is commissioned.
First flights
February
March
June
August
- August 17 - Handley Page HP-115
October
- October 12 - Dassault Mirage IV
- October 21 - Breguet Atlantic
Entered service
February
June
- AJ3-1 Vigilante with US Navy VAH-3
October
- McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II with US Navy VF-74
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