This is a list of aviation-related events from 1971:

Events

January

• January 6 - the US Marine Corps takes delivery of its first AV-8 Harriers
• January 22 - a US Navy P-3 Orion sets a distance record of 7,010 miles (11,282 km) for an aircraft in its class

June

• June 18 - Southwest Airlines founded

September

• First crossing of the Atlantic by Concorde

October

• The United States lifts its arms embargo from Israel.
• October 1 - Aurigny Air Services commences operations

December

• December 3-17 - Indo-Pakistan War . The Indian Air Force loses 72 aircraft and the Pakistan Air Force 94 aircraft.

First flights

February

• February 26 - Saab-MFI 15

March

• AEREON 26
• March 21 - Westland Lynx
• March 25 - Ilyushin Il-76 SSSR-86712
• March 26 - CASA C.212 Aviocar
• March 31 - SH-2 Sea Sprite

May

• May 28 - Dassault Mercure F-WTCC

April

• April 22 - Aero Boero AB-210
• April 29 - Piper Enforcer

July

• July 14 - VFW 614 D-BABA
• July 20 - Mitsubishi T-2
• July 23 - GAF Nomad VH-SUP

August

• Agusta A109

September

• September 3 - EMBRAER Xavante
• September 10 - Bell Model 309 N309J
• September 12 - Bede BD-5

Entered service

January

• January 29 - EA-6 Prowler with VAQ-129 at NAS Whidbey Island

August

• August 5 - McDonnell Douglas DC-10 with American Airlines