Celebrating 95 Years of Supporting the Aviation Community with Exceptional Insurance Products and Services

In 2019, Global Aerospace is recognizing a milestone in which we take great pride: 95 years of service to the aviation industry. Since our founding in 1924, we have provided the aviation and aerospace industries with the insurance products they need to protect their assets and their businesses. And just as importantly, we have delivered the kind of attentive service that makes it easy for them to capitalize on the benefits of their insurance.

How did Global Aerospace reach its place as a top provider of aircraft insurance and aviation risk management solutions? Here are some highlights of our growth as well as a few aviation milestones for perspective:

1924

British Aviation Insurance Group

British Aviation Insurance Group (BAIG) is founded in Great Britain. (Credit: Aviation Ancestry)

1927

Charles Lindbergh pilots the Spirit of St. Louis

Charles Lindbergh pilots the Spirit of St. Louis on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island to Paris.

1929

Associated Aviation Underwriters (AAU)

Associated Aviation Underwriters (AAU) is founded by large U.S. insurers Chubb & Son and The Continental Corporation.

1930

Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow

Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow set a transcontinental speed record from LA to NY; 14 hours, 45 minutes.

1931

Captain Lamplugh

BAIG is formed into a new company, the British Aviation Insurance Company. Captain Lamplugh led as its chief underwriter and principal surveyor.

1932

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, taking off from Newfoundland and landing in Ireland.

1937

The Hindenburg

The Hindenburg, the famous German dirigible, is destroyed by fire while landing at Lakehurst, NJ. 36 people lost their lives.

1939

Igor Sikorsky lifts the VS-300

Igor Sikorsky lifts the VS-300, the first helicopter, to a height of 3 feet for 10 seconds. (Credit: ©2019 I. I. Sikorsky Historical Archives)

1942

Robert M. Stanley

Robert M. Stanley flied first U.S. jet plane, Bell XP-59 Airacomet, at Muroc. Calif.

1947

Chuck Yeager's Glamorous Glennis

Chuck Yeager is the first person to break the sound barrier, in an airplane he calls the Glamorous Glennis after his first wife.

1957

Sputnik I

The Russians launch Sputnik I, the first artificial earth satellite.

1958

NASA’s Pioneer 1

Pioneer 1: NASA’s first launch.

1959

NASA'S Pioneer 4

Pioneer 4: First successful U.S. flyby of the Moon.

1960

Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong with the North America X-15, a rocket-powered research aircraft that bridged the gap between manned flight in the atmosphere and space flight.

1962

John Glenn Jr

Friendship 7, Astronaut John Glenn Jr. becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.

1962

First telephone conversation is relayed by satellite

First telephone conversation is relayed by satellite between the US and Europe. (Credit: Nokia Bell Labs and AT&T Archives)

1964

Jerrie Mock

Jerrie Mock is the first woman to pilot a plane around the world successfully. (Smithsonian)

1968

Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet

Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet revolutionizes mass air transport. (Credit: Boeing)

1968

B747

The introduction of the B747 brought insured values for aircraft to a new threshold. The B747 required a peak value of US$25 million. The founding members of BAIG are the first to rate and lead the insurance of the Jumbo Jet. (Credit: Boeing)

1969

Neil Armstrong Moonwalk

Neil Armstrong walks on the Moon.

1971

Supersonic Concorde

The supersonic Concorde makes its first transatlantic trek.

1979

Bryan Allen

Bryan Allen, who helped develop first successful human-powered aircraft with Paul MacCready in 1977, pedals chain-driven Gossamer Albatross across English Channel.

1980

Solar Challenger

Solar Challenger: First solar powered plane flew.

1986

Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager

Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, is first craft to fly around the world without refueling.

1990

British Aviation Insurance Group

BAIC, Aviation & General, the London Aviation Insurance Group, the aviation offices of General Accident, the Commercial Union and the Eagle Star combine to form the British Aviation Insurance Group.

1999

Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones

Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones lift off from the Swiss alpine village of Chateau d’Oex in the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon. After a 46,759-mile balloon flight which lasted 19 days, 21 hours and 55 minutes, the balloon achieves a non-stop round the world balloon flight. (Credit: Solar Impulse)

2001

Global Aerospace

Global Aerospace is formed by the merger of BAIG and AAU.

2003

100 years of flight

The world celebrates 100 years of flight.

Today, our position as a worldwide leader in our field is reflected in some truly remarkable statistics, including:

aviation insurance coverage

But, just as it was back in the early days of flight, we still grow our business based on the number 1 – as in the one-on-one relationships with our customers that we truly value and that are critical to our shared success.

Celebrating 100 Years: A century in and our passion for aviation is as strong as ever.

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