1895 – Birth of Joseph Eskel Hallonquist, Canadian World War I flying ace.
1951 – Qantas Consolidated Catalina PB2B-2 “Frigate Bird II” (shown) begins a survey flight from Sydney, Australia, to Chile via Easter Island, making the airline’s first flight across the South Pacific.
1967 – South African Airways Flight 406, a Vickers Viscount 818, crashes into the sea on approach to East London, South Africa; all 25 people aboard die. It is later learned the pilot suffered a heart attack while on approach and the co-pilot was unable to regain control.
1974 – First flight of the Bell Model 214A “Big Lifter,” an American medium-lift helicopter derived from Bell’s ubiquitous UH-1 Huey series.
1987 – Death of Edward Peck “Ted” Curtis, American World War I flying ace, World War II officer; he was considered one of the architects of the Federal Aviation Administration.
