Friday will see St. John’s commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, which took off from Newfoundland.
British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown started their historic voyage on June 14, 1919.
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They departed from what is now St. John’s and flew 16 hours through harsh conditions before landing in Ireland.
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Gary Hebbard, who writes on aviation history, says the flight shaped international air travel as it is known today.
Museum exhibits, re-enactments and aircraft displays began in St. John’s in May to celebrate the pair’s achievement and the province’s aviation history.
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John Alcock’s nephew, Tony Alcock, spoke to a crowd in St. John’s last month about the lessons of teamwork and resilience that can be drawn from the historic flight.
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