1990 in aviation

Events

Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines, both in financial difficulty, transfer their coveted landing rights at London Heathrow Airport to American Airlines and United Airlines.

January
January 11 - The US Defense Department awards Bell Helicopter a $US 123 million development contract for the V-22 Osprey

January 20 - North American Airlines began operations.

January 26 - The first of two new Air Force Ones, VIP variants of the Boeing 747-200, for the use of the United States President and his staff, are delivered.

April
April 21 - Aeritalia joins the Airbus consortium as a partner

June
June 22 - Bombardier purchases Learjet for $US 75.85 million

September
September 27 - United Air Lines is the first airline to introduce satellite communications for its aircraft

October
October 2 - Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737 collides with China Southern Airlines Boeing 757 in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, China. 128 people killed.

October 31 - the Australian airline industry is deregulated. Airlines are allowed to select their own routes and set their own fares.

December
December 7 - an Alaskan Airlines Boeing 727 takes off from Seattle International Airport in visibility of only 500 ft (152 m), the lowest for any airliner takeoff in the US.

December 19 - Northwest Airlines buys a 25% share in Hawaiian Airlines

December 21 - Kelly Johnson dies, aged 80.

First flights

January
January 10 - McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - Freighter Version
January 15 - Atlas XH-2

February
February 19 - Scaled Composites ARES

March
March 29 - Ilyushin Il-114

April
April 13 - Sukhoi Su-27IB prototype

May
May 1 - McDonnell Douglas MD 520N

August
August 1 - EMBRAER/FMA CBA-123
August 27 - Northrop YF-23

September
September 29 - YF-22 Raptor

October
October 10 - Learjet 60
October 11 - Rockwell/MBB X-31

November
November 21 - K-8 Karakorum (Hongdu JL-8)

Entered service

October
October 4 - deliveries of Piaggio Avanti to various operators commence