1973 in aviation

Events

Icelandair established.

Don Taylor attempts round-the-world trip in his homebuilt Thorp T-18, ended by a spate of really bad weather between northern Japan and the Aleutian Islands. His next attempt in the summer of 1976 is successful.

January
January 12 - A US Navy F-4 Phantom scores the 197th and final US air-to-air victory of the Vietnam War

January 15 - final B-52 Stratofortress mission of the Vietnam War

January 18 - Results of the USAF A-X fly-off announced, with the Fairchild YA-10 selected over the Northrop YA-9.

January 27 - end of the Vietnam War

February
February 24 - United States Marine Corps helicopters begin clearing mines from North Vietnamese harbors

June
June 3 - The first production Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic airliner broke-up during a demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show, killing 14.

June 7 - Bahamasair commenced operations.

August
August 15 - the final USAF mission over Cambodia is flown

September
September 11 - An AVE Mizar flying car prototype broke-up in flight over Oxnard, California killing the company founder and the pilot.

October
October 6 - Egypt and Syria launch air strikes on Israel, starting the Yom Kippur War. The conflict lasts 18 days

First flights

AVE Mizar (mid-1973)

January
January 4 - Gates Learjet 26 N26GL

April
April 10 - Boeing T-43 71-1403
April 17 - PZL-106 Kruk

May
May 11 - Dassault Falcon 30 F-WAMD
May 30 - WSK-Mielec M-15 Belphegor

June
June - IAI Kfir

July
July 26 - Sikorsky XH-59A 71-1472

August
August 5 - Trident Trigull CF-TRI-X
August 21 - Aerosport Scamp
August 22 - Learjet 35

September
September 25 - MBB Bö 106 D-HDCI

October
October 7 - Cameron D96 Hot-Air Airship G-BAMK
October 8 - RFB Fanliner D-EBFL
October 26 - Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet

November
November 23 - AIDC T-CH-1

December
December 23 - Aero Boero 260AG

Entered service

April
April 16 - Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante with Transbrasil