Aviation has a history of about 100 years, and during this period there were many turning points in the evolution and development of this industry.
On February 20, 1927, Uruguayan Commander Taddeo Larre-Borges embarked on a great adventure, wanting to cross the Atlantic Ocean.. Along with him, to help him in this madness were Rigoli (mechanic), Captain Glauco Larre-Borges (radio operator) and Captain Ibarra (second pilot and navigator).
With this transatlantic seaplane device called "Uruguay" from the manufacturer Farman, which was powered by two engines capable of delivering 500 horsepower, they tried to make this long journey, taking off from the marina of Pisa.
Due to mechanical defects, the seaplane had to land on the Atlantic coast of Africa, in southern Morocco, 150 km from Cape Juby. The crew swam to shore. There they were taken prisoner by a local tribe, but were rescued a week later by Latécoère pilots Marcel Reine and Antoine Léon, sent by the Spanish government.
Other aviation events on February 20th.
The Mercury – Atlas 20 spacecraft was launched on February 1962, 6 (elite US Army test pilots selected by NASA to pilot Mercury experimental missiles). This event also marked the first American flight into orbit, led by astronaut John Glenn.
On February 20, 1986, the first element of the MIR orbital station was placed into orbit. The Russian MIR station was in low earth orbit between 1986 and 2001.
The station was modular, with a number of nine components. The station served as a research laboratory in microgravity, and the crews performed experiments in order to develop technologies necessary for the permanent occupation of space.
"Law-Racoviță" was inaugurated on February 20, 2006, the first permanent Romanian research and exploration station in Antarctica, named after the Romanian explorer Emil Racoviță.
The station is located in a rocky area 3 km from the coast of Ingrid Christensen in the Land of Princess Elizabeth, in the Larsemann Hills of East Antarctica. She is at a distance of 2 km from China Zhong Shan Station and at 1 km from the Progress II Station of the Russian Federation, which allowed a close cooperation with researchers from these countries, with which experience exchanges are made.