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2011-10-21
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October 21st in Aviation History

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Written by: Phil Derner Jr.
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1986 – The British government puts British Airways up for sale. The airline would be privatized and listed on the London Stock Exchange in February 1987.

1978 – A man named Frederich Valentich mysteriously disappears while flying a Cessna 182L over the Bass Strait in Austrailia, after encountering an unidentified flying object. During six minutes after first asking air traffic control about other aircraft in the area, he continued to describe a craft of some sort that did not resemble an airplane and was moving all around him as he flew. His transmission ultimately ended with 17 seconds of metallic scraping sounds before cutting. No trace of him or his aircraft were ever found.

1970 – British United Airways, (originally formed by a merger between Airwork Services and Hunting-Clan Air Transport) merges with Caledonian Airlines, becoming British Caledonian. They would later merge with British Airways in 1987 after experiencing financial difficulties.

1944 – A Japanese plane carrying a 200 lb bomb crashes into the HMAS Australia off the coast of the Philippines in the first ever Kamikaze attack.

1929 – The Colonial Flying Service and Scully Walton Ambulance Company organize the United States’ first civilian air ambulance service.



About the Author

Phil Derner Jr.
Phil Derner founded NYCAviation in 2003. A lifetime aviation enthusiast that grew up across the water from La Guardia Airport, Phil has aviation experience as a Loadmaster, Operations Controller and Flight Dispatcher. He owns and operates NYCAviation and performs duties as an aviation expert through writing, consulting, public speaking and media appearances. You can reach him by email or follow him on Twitter.
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