A Century of Transatlantic Flying

Aeronautical Anniversaries

This one day conference which will be held in London on Monday 3rd June - marks aeronautical anniversaries which arise this year.

The first non-stop transatlantic flight and the first double crossing of the Atlantic by air (both in 1919). 2019 not only marks a transatlantic centenary, but also two major fifty-year milestones. The first flights of the Boeing 747 and Concorde; two champions of the route with very different histories. This year certainly marks a century of air-mindedness.

Since the dawn of ‘reliable’ flight, aviators dreamed of increased range and long-distance travel. Once the English Channel had been conquered, the North Atlantic became an aspirational benchmark. This was achieved in 1919 by Alcock and Brown in their Vickers Vimy and the British Airship R.34 making the first double crossing and these pioneering efforts, along with other attempts, drove the development of aerial navigation and meteorology.

The needs of conflict, commerce, and cultural exchange encouraged the development of commercial transport aircraft on this important route and this seminar will look at some of the varied aspects from new perspectives.

The seminar programme also includes papers on British airliner projects which competed for the transatlantic route, and the ferrying of military aircraft from the USA during the Second World War.

This  conference will be of interest to those who have an interest in transport history and broader 20th-century events. Join us on 3 June to discuss all of these achievements and throw light on some of the less well-known aspects.

The Royal Aeronautical Society offers a limited number of complimentary places for our events to any full-time students or apprentices who are members of the Society (subject to availability). Further information can be found here student membership

The conference programme can be found here.