Transatlantic Flight

Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east. Such flights have been accomplished by fixed-wing aircraft, airships, balloons and other devices.

The Atlantic Ocean stood as a significant obstacle to the aviation pioneers of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The first aircraft engines did not have sufficient reliability necessary for the crossing, nor sufficient power to lift the required fuel. Additionally, there are difficulties navigating over featureless expanses of water for thousands of miles, and the weather, especially in the North Atlantic Ocean is often unpredictable and violent. Since the middle of the 20th century, however, transatlantic flight has been routine and common, for commercial, military, diplomatic, and other purposes. Experimental flights (in balloons, small aircraft, etc.) still present technological challenges for transatlantic fliers.