World Aviation in 1948

30 January
Orville Wright dies at Dayton in Ohio, aged 76.

4 February
The United States Air Force (USAF) Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is established.

1 April
Railway passenger traffic between Berlin and West Germany is cancelled by Soviet military authorities.

5 May
The first carrier-based jet squadron, United States Navy (USN) 17A, is established with sixteen Phantoms and operates from the USS Saipan from 5 to 7 May.

20 May
The Israeli air force is in action against Arab forces for the first time.

18-19 June
All road traffic between Berlin and West Germany is halted by Soviet military authorities.

24 June
For 'technical reasons', the Soviet military authorities stop all rail services between Berlin and West Germany.

26 June
The first airlift of supplies into Berlin is organised by the United States Air Force (USAF), using C47s based at Frankfurt. This marks the beginning of the Berlin Airlift.

28 June
British Berlin Airlift operations begin.

20 July
The first west to east crossing of the North Atlantic by turbojet powered aircraft is recorded by sixteen Lockheed F80 Shooting Stars. They fly from Selfridge Field in Michigan to Scotland.

23 July
The United States Air Force (USAF) Military Air Transport Command is ordered to establish an Airlift task force for the possible long term support of Berlin and its citizens.

21 August
C54 Skymasters of the United States Air Force (USAF) Military Air Transport Command begin operations on the Berlin Airlift.

5 September
The United States Navy's Caroline Mars flying boat airlifts a record 28,390 kilos (62,262 pounds) of cargo from the Patuxent River base to Cleveland in Ohio.

14 September
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) crews join operations on the Berlin Airlift.

15 October
The Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) combine their efforts on the Berlin Airlift as an Airlift task force.

16 October
South African Air Force crews join the Berlin Airlift operation.

3 November
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) crews join the Berlin Airlift operation.

December 8
A United States Air Force (USAF) Consolidated B36 completes a 15,128 kilometre (9,400 mile) un-refuelled, non-stop flight from Fort Worth in Texas to Hawaii and back again.

17 December
The 45th Anniversary of the first powered flight by the Wright brothers is celebrated by the return to the Smithsonian Institution of the original Wright Kitty Hawk Flyer which had been on display in the London Science Museum for many years.

29 December
The United States Defence Secretary announces that work has begun on 'an earth satellite vehicle program'.