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 (BAIG) is founded in Great Britain. (Credit: Aviation Ancestry)
1927
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) is founded by large U.S. insurers Chubb & Son and The Continental Corporation.
1930
Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow set a transcontinental speed record from LA to NY; 14 hours, 45 minutes.
1931
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 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 famous German dirigible, is destroyed by fire while landing at Lakehurst, NJ. 36 people lost their lives.
1939
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 flied first U.S. jet plane, Bell XP-59 Airacomet, at Muroc. Calif.
1947
Chuck Yeager is the first person to break the sound barrier, in an airplane he calls the Glamorous Glennis after his first wife.
1957
The Russians launch Sputnik I, the first artificial earth satellite.
1958
Pioneer 1: NASA’s first launch.
1959
Pioneer 4: First successful U.S. flyby of the Moon.
1960
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
Friendship 7, Astronaut John Glenn Jr. becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.
1962
First telephone conversation is relayed by satellite between the US and Europe. (Credit: Nokia Bell Labs and AT&T Archives)
1964
Jerrie Mock is the first woman to pilot a plane around the world successfully. (Smithsonian)
1968
Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet revolutionizes mass air transport. (Credit: Boeing)
1968
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 walks on the Moon.
1971
The supersonic Concorde makes its first transatlantic trek.
1979
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: First solar powered plane flew.
1986
Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, is first craft to fly around the world without refueling.
1990
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
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 is formed by the merger of BAIG and AAU.
2003
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:
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.
Learn More