In the history of flight, the most important landmarks and events include an understanding of the dynamic reaction of lifting surfaces (or wings), building absolutely reliable engines that produce sufficient power to propel an airframe, and solving the …

Dec 24, 2024 · aviation, the development and operation of heavier-than-air aircraft. The term military aviation refers to the development and use of military aircraft, while the term civil aviation refers to all nonmilitary aviation, such as air transportation provided by airlines or the carrying of cargo by commercial aircraft.

Aerospace industry - History, Wright Brothers, World War I: The origin of the aerospace industry dates to 1903 when Wilbur and Orville Wright demonstrated an airplane capable of powered, sustained flight (see Wright flyer of 1903).

History of flight - Aviation Pioneers, Wright Brothers, Hot Air Balloons: The work of the Wright brothers inspired an entire generation of flying-machine experimenters in Europe and the Americas. The Brazilian experimenter Alberto Santos-Dumont, for instance, made the first public flight in Europe in 1906 in his 14-bis.

Through the 1960s, piston-engine airliners still played a major role in air travel, and their ubiquitous counterparts in general aviation enlivened the aeronautical scene. In 1969 commercial airlines counted about 2,500 transports; 122,500 aircraft represented the general aviation fleet.

History of flight - Propulsion, Aviation, Aeronautics: At the beginning of the 19th century, sustained powered heavier-than-air flight remained an impossibility because of the lack of suitable power plants.

Feb 4, 2025 · History of flight - Jet Engines, Aviation Pioneers, Air Travel: From the very invention of flight at the beginning of the 20th century, military aircraft and engines generally led the way, and commercial aviation followed.

History of flight - Aeronautical Infrastructure, Aviation Pioneers, Air Travel: The impressive development of airlines and scheduled air travel rested heavily on the evolution of an aeronautical infrastructure.

History of flight - Airmail, Airlines, US: Although the American experience sometimes reflected European trends, it also demonstrated clear differences. Under the auspices of the U.S. Post Office, an airmail operation was launched in 1918 as a wartime effort to stimulate aircraft production and to generate a pool of trained pilots.

Early Aviation. In the 1890s Otto Lilienthal of Germany became the first person to make and fly successful gliders. Gliders are similar in design to airplanes but they have no motor. Gliders must be towed into the air to begin their flight.