1961 in aviation Information & 1961 in aviation Links at HealthHaven.com

Years in aviation:	1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
Centuries:	19th Century · 20th century · 21st century
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Years:	1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961:

[edit] Events

February 1 - Trans-Canada Air Lines becomes the first sustained operators of the Vickers Vanguard.
February 3 - Operation Looking Glass commences, meaning that the US Air Force Strategic Air Command would have a permanent, airborne command post.
February 15 - Sabena Flight 548, a Boeing 707, crashes at Brussels, Belgium. All 72 aboard (including the entire United States Figure Skating team), as well as one person on the ground, are killed.

April 1 - VIASA - the flag carrier of Venezuela - commences operations
April 12 - Yuri Gagarin makes the first human spaceflight in Vostok 1, orbiting the Earth once, in108 minutes.

June 1 - United Air Lines absorbs Capital Airlines to become the largest airline in the West, with a fleet of 267 aircraft.
June 21-22 - a Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan makes the first non-stop flight from England to Australia

July 1 - the RAF deploys Hawker Hunter combat aircraft to reinforce Kuwait, which is under threat from Iraq. Simultaneously it deploys Canberras and Valiant aircraft to Malta.
July 24 - the first deliveries of the McDonnell D-101B to the Canadian Air Force commence.