Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. The word 'aviation' was coined by French writer and former naval officer Gabriel La Landelle in 1873, from the verb 'avier' (synonymous flying), itself derived from the Latin word 'avis' ('bird') and the suffix '-ation'. There are many competing claims for the earliest powered, heavier-than-air flight. The first recorded powered flight was carried out by Clément Ader on October 9, 1890 when he reportedly made the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight of a significant distance (50 m (160 ft)) but insignificant altitude from level ground in his bat-winged, fully self-propelled fixed-wing aircraft, the Ader Éole. Seven years later, on 14 October 1897, Ader's Avion III was tested without success in front of two officials from the French War ministry. The report on the trials was not publicized until 1910, as they had been a military secret. In November 1906 Ader claimed to have made a successful flight on 14 October 1897, achieving an 'uninterupted flight' of around 300 metres (985 ft). Although widely believed at the time, these claims were later discredited. However, the most widely accepted date is December 17, 1903 by the Wright brothers. ...
Introduction to AeroTransport Data Bank
Since 1997, ATDB is the only service providing an accurate global and permanently updated details of all worldwide transport aircraft, airlines, private and government operators - and leasing companies.
Available from the databases are:
- all transport aircraft with 30 passengers or more, or equivalent cargo payload
- 12,000+ airlines and other non-commercial operators using any of the above aircraft types
- all 16,000+ airports with either a IATA or ICAO identification
- history records and production lists for all airframes: more than 200,000 entries
- hundreds of aircraft types, including old piston and Soviet types
- profile, history and directory contacts of all current airlines and leasing companies
- detailed fleets and portfolios of more than 300 leasing companies
- additional photographic, register and safety event records
- full historical coverage since 1930
Download the latest brochure with description of all available data !
ATDB services are available online 24 hours a day through subscription. Visitors are welcome to explore.
Other offline are also available.
How accurate and up to date are the databases ?
ATDB is the only provider of air transport databases - updated several times a day:
- databases updates and synchronization routines triggered on average once every other hour
- more frequent updates are launched if required by major specific event
- data always cross-checked for accuracy before publication
- use hundreds of permanent information sources, and automatic robots
- corrections uploaded minutes after validation
- daily alerters available to subscribers on fleet changes, new startup carriers, etc
How fast is the information refreshed ?
ATDB uses the latest in IT technology and targets a response time of 1 second, or less:
- current release exhibits a 1-window 1-click easy to use interface
- no struggle with hundreds of options and popup fields: just query the database using simple English language
- databases constantly fine-tuned for performances
- details of response time provided for each report
- exports to Excel available for onward manipulation
- 100% uptime with emergency mirror sites
How do we compare with other vendors ?
ATDB proudly announces that we are the only service providing:
- complete manufacturer coverage: not just Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer and ATR
- full geographical coverage: from operators in Afghanistan to Zimbabwe
- almost one century of historical data: aviation did not start in 1990
- permanent data updates: several times a day, every single day
- any computer or internet device, from anywhere at any time: we are not tied to your office PC
- data accuracy cross-checked by dozens of experts - we do not sell data entered once in a computer and never verified since !
ATDB constantly wins hands down any benchmark trial set up by our customers. TRY US !
