8 Overlooked Historical Aviation Events and Their Significance Today
Aviation history holds lessons that remain relevant for modern operations and decision-making. This article examines eight significant but often forgotten events in flight history, drawing on insights from aviation experts to connect past developments to present-day practices. From emergency procedures to logistical innovations, these moments shaped how the industry operates today.
Learn From a Near Miss
One historical aviation event that deserves greater recognition is the near-miss involving Air Canada Flight 759 on July 7, 2017. On that night, the Air Canada aircraft nearly collided with four fully loaded airplanes awaiting takeoff at San Francisco International Airport. This airport is known for challenging landings due to the close proximity of its runway and taxiway. During this event, the plane came within 30 metres of crashing into two of the four planes lined up on the taxiway. Had the pilot pulled away even slightly later, this could have become one of the deadliest aviation accidents in history, potentially resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.
The near-miss incident prompted important changes in aviation safety regulations. Following the event, federal officials introduced new rules for nighttime landings and control-tower staffing to reduce the likelihood of similar accidents occurring. One major change was requiring two air traffic controllers to be present in the control tower during busy late-night periods. Additionally, air traffic controllers are no longer permitted to allow pilots to rely solely on visual approaches to land at night. Instead, pilots must now use instrument landing systems or satellite-based systems to ensure they are correctly lined up for descent. This occasion highlights the importance of having strong and continually updated safety protocols. Learning from near misses, rather than waiting until after a tragedy occurs, helps prevent future disasters. The improvements made continue to move the aviation industry forward and make flying safer for everyone.
Use Checklists to Tame Complexity
The 1935 crash of the Boeing Model 299—the prototype that would become the B-17—deserves far more recognition because it quietly revolutionized aviation safety. Investigators discovered the aircraft wasn't inherently flawed; it was simply too complex for pilots to manage without structured procedures, which led to the creation of the first aviation checklist. That one innovation transformed flying from intuition-based to systems-based, and every modern cockpit, operating room, and mission-critical industry still relies on that idea today. It's a reminder that technology doesn't scale until processes do—and that complexity without operational discipline is its own form of risk.
Albert Richer, Founder, WhatAreTheBest.com
See the Airlift Sustain a City
One historical aviation event that deserves more recognition is the Berlin Airlift. In response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin, Allied forces supplied the entire city by air for almost a year. They delivered food, fuel, and essentials to more than two million people without firing a single shot.
What makes the Berlin Airlift remarkable is not just its scale, but its precision. Aircraft landed in Berlin every few minutes, even under extreme weather and tight airspace restrictions. Pilots, ground crews, and planners turned aviation into a vital supply line, showing that air transport could support civilian populations on a large scale.
I find this event significant because it changed what aviation could achieve beyond military use or commercial travel. It demonstrated how coordination, discipline, and reliability are more important than speed or flashy technology. The airlift also showed how aviation can serve as a tool for diplomacy and stability, rather than just military power.
The lesson for today is clear. Complex problems are often solved through systems, not individual heroics. Whether in aviation, supply chains, or modern infrastructure, success relies on planning for resilience, building backups, and performing consistently under pressure. The Berlin Airlift remains one of the best examples of that principle in action.
Keep HF Radio as a Lifeline
Early long-range flights proved high-frequency radio could link planes to shore across oceans. Airlines and navies set schedules, call signs, and guard channels that became the basis for control without radar. Regular position reports and time-based spacing grew from those trials and still guide ocean routes. Even with satellites, HF radio remains a last line of contact during outages, solar storms, or polar trips.
Training crews to manage static and changing signals keeps this lifeline usable. Leaders now plan how to blend HF, satellite voice, and simple text links so no single failure risks safety. Support strong radio training and ask operators to keep HF gear ready as a real backup.
Build Layered Navigation with Backups
In the 1920s, night airmail routes were lit by ground beacons and concrete arrows that pointed the way across dark landscapes. These simple visual guides formed the first nationwide airway system, linking towns and building public trust in flight. Engineers turned the lessons from spacing, visibility, and backups into radio beacons and instrument flight procedures. The habit of layered navigation later eased use of GPS while also reminding planners to keep backups when signals fail.
Traces of those arrows still teach how infrastructure can grow from low tech to high tech without losing safety. Museums, pilots, and communities can use this story to push for strong backup navigation on the ground and in the air. Learn more about the airmail beacon network and ask local leaders to fund redundant navigation systems today.
Apply Glider Lessons to Short Fields
Wartime assault gliders showed how large loads could land quietly in tight fields with no engines. Designers learned to favor big wings, high lift devices, and tough landing gear to master short, rough strips. Those traits echo in modern STOL aircraft, from bush planes to tactical transports that supply remote areas. The glider mindset also guides new electric aircraft that trade speed for short, precise arrivals.
Lessons in approach angles, obstacle clearance, and quick unloading still drive airport design in harsh terrain. Understanding this lineage helps planners choose aircraft and runways that match real mission needs. Encourage research and policy that fund short-field technologies and training for communities off the grid.
Set Cabin Pressurization Standards
Early pressurization trials, such as the XC-35 and the Stratoliner, tested sealed cabins at new altitudes. Engineers set limits for pressure differences, oxygen systems, and rapid descent profiles after many ground and flight tests. Later fatigue failures in early jets confirmed the need for rounded windows, stronger skins, and strict inspection cycles. These hard lessons created cabin altitude rules that protect crews and passengers on long flights today.
Modern sensors now watch for leaks and mask failures, but standards still rest on those early baselines. Clear reporting on pressurization events helps researchers improve health and comfort at altitude. Ask airlines and regulators to invest in better cabin air systems, alerts, and transparent safety data.
Turn Crop Flights into Precision Agriculture
The first crop dusting runs began as pest control experiments that spread powder from open-cockpit biplanes. Pilots mapped fields, set swath widths, and learned to fight drift, which led to early rules and safety gear. These methods evolved into aerial application standards and data logs that later made precision work possible. Modern drones now use the same logic with sensors, maps, and variable rates to save chemicals and water.
Farmers gain higher yields and lower runoff when flights follow the careful patterns born in those trials. Public trust grows when operators share results and plan with neighbors to protect health and crops. Support fair drone rules and local training so small farms can adopt safe, precise aerial tools.