1957 in aviation

January
January 18 - Three Boeing B-52 Stratofortress jets make the world's first round- the-world, non-stop flight by turbojet-powered aircraft. The flight is completed in 45 hours 19 minutes, with an average speed of 534 mph (859 km/h)

March
March 4-15 - a US Navy airship sets a duration record for a non-rigid airship, traveling 9,448 miles (15,205 km) in 264 hours 12 minutes

March 11 - a Flying Tiger Lockheed Super Constellation sets a new payload record for a commercial aircraft, carrying 41,749 lb (18,937 kg) on a flight between Newark, New Jersey and Burbank, California

April
April 6 - (Olympic Airways) is created by the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis from the ashes of bankrupt Greek state airline T.A.E.

April 11 - North American Aviation is issued a preliminary contract to build prototypes of the XF-108 long-range interceptor aircraft for the USAF.

May
May 15 - a Royal Air Force Vickers Valiant drops the first British Hydrogen bomb, over Christmas Island
Please note that the link to CHRISTMAS ISLAND is incorrect. The link goes to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean (an Australian protectorate). However, The Christmas Island where the British hydrogen bombs were tested was in the PACIFIC OCEAN, near to Hawaii. This island, one of the Line Islands, was subsequently returned to the Gilbertese people who renamed it KIRIBATI. There is no connection between the Indian Ocean Christmas Island and the British Army bomb testing.

June
June 2 - Cpt Joseph Kittinger sets a new balloon altitude record of 96,000 ft (29,250 m)

July
July 19 - A USAF Northrop F-89J Scorpion launches a live MB-1 'Ding Dong' nuclear rocket

August
August 1 - NORAD is formed to co-ordinate US and Canadian air defense

August 19-20 - Maj David Simons sets a new balloon altitude record of 101,516 ft (30,942 m)

August 21 - The USAF formally cancels the XF-103 Mach 3 interceptor aircraft program

August 28 - a rocket-boosted English Electric Canberra sets a new world altitude record of 70,308 ft (21,430 m)

September
September 30 - Austrian Airlines is formed from the merger of Air Austria and Austrian Airways

October
October 4 - Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite is launched into orbit

October 4 - The Avro CF-105 Arrow rolled out from the Malton plant (in Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

December
December 12 - Maj Adrian Drew sets a new world speed record, in a modified F-101 Voodoo, of 1,207 mph (1,942 km/h)

First flights

January
January 23 – Nord 1500-02 Griffon II

February
February 17 - Bell X-14

March
March 28 - Canadair Argus

April
April 17 - Nord N 3202

May
May 16 - Saunders-Roe SR.53

July
July 4 - Ilyushin Il-18
July 9 - Aviation Traders Accountant
July 16 - Aerotécnica AC-14

September
- Cessna 150

November
November 6 - Fairey Rotodyne

December
December 10 - Aermacchi MB-326

Entered service

February
February 1 - Bristol Britannia with BOAC

March
March 8 - Grumman F11F Tiger with VA-156
March 25 - Vought F8U Crusader with VF-32 Swordsmen

May
McDonnell F-101A Voodoo with USAF

June
June 28 - KC-135 Stratotanker with 93rd Air Refueling Squadron

November
November 19 - Fokker Friendship with Aer Lingus