The Douglas DC-3 made its first flight on 17 November 1935 and became one of the most influential airliners ever built. Nicknamed the “Gooney Bird,” it offered exceptional reliability, range and operating economics. By 1939, an estimated 90% of all commercial flights worldwide used DC-3s. Remarkably, more than 150 examples are still flying today for niche passenger, cargo and heritage operations, a testament to the aircraft’s durability and enduring design.
The Hughes H-4 Hercules, the “Spruce Goose,” made its only flight on 2 November 1947, lifting briefly from Long Beach to prove it could fly. Built mainly of birch, it remains the aircraft with the largest wingspan ever at about 97.5 m—far greater than the Boeing 747-8’s 68.4 m span. Intended as a giant transoceanic transport, it never progressed beyond the prototype stage. Today, the Spruce Goose is preserved at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
The Air Astana Flight 1388 incident occurred on 11 November 2018, when an Embraer 190 became nearly uncontrollable after take-off due to maintenance errors that left its aileron control cables crossed, producing opposite roll responses to pilot inputs. Since the roll-control system also uses spoilers, which were not affected by the mistake, the aircraft could not be recovered simply by reversing the controls. To maintain control, the crew relied heavily on asymmetric engine thrust and precise rudder inputs while keeping aileron movements minimal to avoid violent roll excursions. Pitch remained normal, allowing altitude management as they experimented with speed, power and heading to find a survivable flight envelope. With guidance from Portuguese Air Force F-16s, they ultimately stabilised the aircraft enough to execute a demanding but safe landing at Beja.
On 24 November 1904, Wilbur Wright made a landmark five-minute flight in the Flyer II at Huffman Prairie, demonstrating real controlled, sustained aviation for the first time. The improved aircraft featured a stronger structure, refined controls and better stability than the 1903 Flyer. Wilbur completed multiple circuits of the field, proving the Flyer II could turn, climb and maintain flight reliably—an essential step toward practical, repeatable powered flight.
Eugene Ely made history on November 14, 1910, when he flew a Curtiss Model D “Pusher” off a short wooden platform on the USS Birmingham, becoming the first pilot to take off from a ship. The aircraft was a lightweight, open-frame biplane with the propeller mounted behind the pilot, typical of Glenn Curtiss’s early designs. Despite poor weather, Ely skimmed the water before climbing away and landing safely ashore. The feat proved naval aviation was possible and marked a defining milestone in the Curtiss legacy and future carrier operations.
