This is a list of aviation-related events from 1990:

Events

• Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines, both in financial difficulty, transfer their coveted landing rights at London Heathrow Airport to American Airlines and United Airlines.

January

• January 11 - The US Defense Department awards Bell Helicopter a $US 123 million development contract for the V-22 Osprey
• January 26 - The first of two new Air Force Ones, VIP variants of the Boeing 747-200, for the use of the United States President and his staff, are delivered.

April

• April 21 - Aeritalia joins the Airbus consortium as a partner

June

• June 22 - Bombardier purchases Learjet for $US 75.85 million

September

• September 27 - United Air Lines is the first airline to introduce satellite communications for its aircraft

October

• October 2 - Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737 collides with China Southern Airlines Boeing 757 in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, China. 128 people killed.
• October 31 - the Australian airline industry is deregulated. Airlines are allowed to select their own routes and set their own fares.

December

• December 7 - an Alaskan Airlines Boeing 727 takes off from Seattle International Airport in visibility of only 500 ft (152 m), the lowest for any airliner takeoff in the US.
• December 19 - Northwest Airlines buys a 25% share in Hawaiian Airlines
• December 21 - Kelly Johnson dies, aged 80.

First flights

January

• January 10 - McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - Freighter Version
• January 15 - Atlas XH-2

February

• February 19 - Scaled Composites ARES

March

• March 29 - Ilyushin Il-114

April

• April 13 - Sukhoi Su-27IB prototype

May

• May 1 - McDonnell Douglas MD 520N

August

• August 1 - EMBRAER/FMA CBA-123
• August 27 - Northrop YF-23

September

• September 29 - YF-22 Raptor

October

• October 10 - Learjet 60
• October 11 - Rockwell/MBB X-31

November

• November 21 - NAMC/PAC K-8

Entered service

October

• October 4 - deliveries of Piaggio Avanti to various operators commence