1909

Feb, 23 John McGurdy makes the first Canadian flight of a heavier-than-air craft. He flies the "Silver Dart" 40 ft. over the frozen Bras d'Or lake at Braddeck Bay.

Mar, 02 Curtiss, Glenn Hammond
The Aeronautical Society of New York places an order for a Curtiss No. 1 Gold Bug airplane.

Mar, 10 The AEA's "Silver Dart" is flown by John McGurdy 19.9 mi. in a closed circuit.

Mar, 20 Curtiss, Glenn Hammond
Glenn Curtiss and Augustus Herring form the Herring-Curtiss Company, starting with $360,000.

Mar, 31 Dr. Bell announces the disbandment of the AEA. The group claimed that they felt the AEA served its original purpose and further efforts would be better pursued through independant research. Some speculate Lt. Selfridge's death influenced the decision.

May, 14 S. F. Cody made the first flight over a 1 mile course in Great Britain.

Jul, 25 Bleriot, Louis Charles-Joseph
Louis Bleriot in his Type XI monoplane, made the first aeroplane flight across the English Channel

Jul, 25 Van den Schkrouff made the first official aeroplane flight in Russia, flying a Voisin biplane at Odessa.

Jul, 27 Wright, Orville
Lahm, Frank Purdy
Orville Wright with Frank P. Lahm as a passenger made a new two-man endurance record of 1 hr, 12 mins, 40 secs. This flight was in connection with Army acceptance tests for the Wright plane. It was accepted on Aug, 2nd 1909.

Jul, 29 Legagneux of France, made the first official aeroplane flight in Sweden, flying a Voisin biplane.

Aug, 01 United States Signal Corps,
United States Air Force,
An Aeronautical Division was established in the the Offic of the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army. This is generally considered to be the birth of the U.S. Air Force.

Aug, 02 United States Signal Corps,
The US Army placed a firm order for its first aircraft, a wright biplane.

Aug, 02 John McGurdy flies the "Silver Dart" with 'Casey' Baldwin as passenger in a demonstration to members of the Canadian government.

Aug, 22 The world's first international aviation meet was held at Reims in France.

Aug, 29 Curtiss, Glenn Hammond
Curtiss wins the Gordon Bennett trophy race in his own "Reims Racer". He beat the second-place Bleriot by 5.8 seconds, flying two laps in 15 mins. 50.4 sec. at an average speed of 46.6 m.p.h..

Oct, 07 Curtiss, Glenn Hammond
Glenn H. Curtiss becomes the first American to hold an FAI airplane certificate.

Oct, 26 United States Signal Corps,
Lt. Frank E. Humphreys became the first Army officer to solo in the Army's first airplane at College Park, MD.

Oct, 27 Wright, Wilbur
Mrs. Ralph H. VanDeman flew with Wilbur Wright for 4 minutes at College Park, MD. becoming the first female air passenger in the U.S.

Oct, 30 Louis Bleriot made the first aeroplane flight in Romania, flying a Bleriot monoplane.

Dec, 09 Colin Defries made the first aeroplane flight in Australia, flying a Wright biplane at Sydney.

1909
Feb, 23		John McGurdy makes the first Canadian flight of a heavier-than-air craft. He flies the "Silver Dart" 40 ft. over the frozen Bras d'Or lake at Braddeck Bay.
Mar, 02	Curtiss, Glenn Hammond	The Aeronautical Society of New York places an order for a Curtiss No. 1 Gold Bug airplane.
Mar, 10		The AEA's "Silver Dart" is flown by John McGurdy 19.9 mi. in a closed circuit.
Mar, 20	Curtiss, Glenn Hammond	Glenn Curtiss and Augustus Herring form the Herring-Curtiss Company, starting with $360,000.
Mar, 31		Dr. Bell announces the disbandment of the AEA. The group claimed that they felt the AEA served its original purpose and further efforts would be better pursued through independant research. Some speculate Lt. Selfridge's death influenced the decision.
May, 14		S. F. Cody made the first flight over a 1 mile course in Great Britain.
Jul, 25	Bleriot, Louis Charles-Joseph	Louis Bleriot in his Type XI monoplane, made the first aeroplane flight across the English Channel
Jul, 25		Van den Schkrouff made the first official aeroplane flight in Russia, flying a Voisin biplane at Odessa.
Jul, 27	Wright, Orville Lahm, Frank Purdy	Orville Wright with Frank P. Lahm as a passenger made a new two-man endurance record of 1 hr, 12 mins, 40 secs. This flight was in connection with Army acceptance tests for the Wright plane. It was accepted on Aug, 2nd 1909.
Jul, 29		Legagneux of France, made the first official aeroplane flight in Sweden, flying a Voisin biplane.
Aug, 01	United States Signal Corps, United States Air Force,	An Aeronautical Division was established in the the Offic of the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army. This is generally considered to be the birth of the U.S. Air Force.
Aug, 02	United States Signal Corps,	The US Army placed a firm order for its first aircraft, a wright biplane.
Aug, 02		John McGurdy flies the "Silver Dart" with 'Casey' Baldwin as passenger in a demonstration to members of the Canadian government.
Aug, 22		The world's first international aviation meet was held at Reims in France.
Aug, 29	Curtiss, Glenn Hammond	Curtiss wins the Gordon Bennett trophy race in his own "Reims Racer". He beat the second-place Bleriot by 5.8 seconds, flying two laps in 15 mins. 50.4 sec. at an average speed of 46.6 m.p.h..
Oct, 07	Curtiss, Glenn Hammond	Glenn H. Curtiss becomes the first American to hold an FAI airplane certificate.
Oct, 26	United States Signal Corps,	Lt. Frank E. Humphreys became the first Army officer to solo in the Army's first airplane at College Park, MD.
Oct, 27	Wright, Wilbur	Mrs. Ralph H. VanDeman flew with Wilbur Wright for 4 minutes at College Park, MD. becoming the first female air passenger in the U.S.
Oct, 30		Louis Bleriot made the first aeroplane flight in Romania, flying a Bleriot monoplane.
Dec, 09		Colin Defries made the first aeroplane flight in Australia, flying a Wright biplane at Sydney.