Flying Back in Time on the First Civilian Passenger Airplane

Ride along on a Microsoft Flight Simulator journey in a Farman F.60 Goliath on its historic 1919 route from Paris to London.

Patrick Chovanec

Friday, May 12, 2023 at 06:07 PM ET

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Farman F.60 Goliath [Courtesy: National Archives]

Key Takeaways:

The Farman F.60 Goliath, originally a World War I bomber, pioneered commercial aviation by making the world's first civilian passenger flight in 1919 and establishing early scheduled routes, such as Paris to London.
Early commercial flights with aircraft like the Goliath were challenging and dangerous, notably leading to the first mid-air collision in 1922 which prompted critical advancements in aviation safety, including right-of-way rules and the use of radios.
Despite its primitive design, featuring an open cockpit and reliance on visual navigation, the Goliath's operations laid foundational groundwork for modern air travel, influencing subsequent airline formations and aircraft development.

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Believe it or not, the inaugural flight of a bomber-turned-airliner first introduced the world to commercial aviation.

Today in Microsoft Flight Simulator, I’ll be flying the Farman F.60 Goliath, the world’s first civilian passenger airplane, on its historic route from Paris to London. And to tell this story, I’m using a mod that recreates the two airports, Le Bourget and Croydon, as they looked in the 1930s.