Aviation History Month is observed during November, so people may want to get ready for some high-flying fun. This month not only recognizes the machines that have made human flight possible but also honors the men and women who have advanced the field of aviation.

From the Montgolfier brothers, who demonstrated their unmanned hot air balloon at Annonay, France, in 1783, to NASA successfully flying an unmanned helicopter on Mars on April 19, 2021, aviation has taken humankind on a journey of discovery and wonder. That’s why we encourage everyone to at least consider this month when November comes around.

The History of Aviation History Month

Unfortunately, while most of aviation history is an open book to us, the history of this month continues to elude us. We’ve searched every internet resource we could find, and no one seems to know when or where this month was established.

Some High-Flying Facts About Aviation

It’s time to get together and enjoy some of the incredible facts that we’re learning about aviation. We found many of the following aviation facts to be quite surprising, or at the very least, quite informative. With that being said, let’s take a quick peek at them before we continue on with how this month is usually observed.

• The Boeing 787 Dreamliner can fly for more than five hours on just one engine.
• In-flight oxygen masks can only provide a few minutes of air to passengers and/or crew—12 minutes on a Boeing 737.
• Black Boxes, the plane’s Flight Data Recorders, are actually painted bright orange to make them easier to spot.
• The average airplane has a humidity level of less than 20%.
• The seats in the back third of the plane are the safest seats on an airplane.
• The middle of the airplane is the part with the highest mortality rate in a crash.
• The fuel tank of a Boeing 747 can hold 48,445 gallons of fuel.

Observing Aviation History Month

We can’t emphasize enough just how important it is for people to observe Aviation History Month and how the experience will make them feel better about the human condition. Human aviation is awe-inspiring and shows just what humans are capable of doing when they put their collective minds together.

During this month, people should learn more about aviation history. This can be done by reading a book on the subject or by visiting an aviation museum. It’s also a good month to go for a ride in an airplane or to watch documentaries on aviation history. We also encourage people to use the hashtag #AviationHistoryMonth on social media.