British Civil Aviation in 1958

6 February
A British European Airways (BEA) Airspeed AS57 Ambassador crashes at Munich airport, killing 23 of its passengers, including players of Manchester United football club known as 'Busby Babes'.

1 March
British European Airways (BEA) are given permission to order de Havilland DH121s, which are to be built as Hawker Siddeley Tridents.

10 April
The Fairey Rotodyne transport aircraft makes its first transition from helicopter to autogiro flight mode.

9 June
Gatwick airport opens.

6 August
The Short SC1 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft makes a first tethered vertical flight.

30 September
United Kingdom commercial flying-boat operations come to an end.

4 October
The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) inaugurates simultaneous London to New York and New York to London services with a de Havilland Comet 4 (G-APDC), piloted by Captain R.E. Millichap, and another (G-APDB), piloted by Captain T.B. Stoney. Millichap flies from London to New York and Stoney flies from New York to London.