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Wright Brothers
The Wright Flyer was the first successful heavier than air powered aircraft. Pilot Orville Wright flew the powered aeroplane six metres above a windswept beach in North Carolina. In total, the flight lasted twelve seconds covering just under 40 metres. -
World's First Commercial Flight
Tony Jannus conducted the United States' first scheduled commercial airline flight on 1 January 1914 for the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line. The flight was from St. Petersburg to Tampa, Florida in just 20 minutes. This form of transport was far shorter than the many hours of travel required for a steamship, train or car. -
World War Innovation
In a variety of different ways, World War I and World War II shaped powered flight into what it is today. Whilst trying to gain the upper hand on the enemy during the deadlock of the Western Front, advancements in technology made for some stunning discoveries in the field of powered flight. -
Frank Whittle - Jet Engine
Whittle obtained his first patent for a turbo-jet engine in 1930, and in 1936 he joined with associates to found a company called Power Jets Ltd. He tested his first jet engine on the ground in 1937. The outbreak of World War II finally encouraged the British government into supporting Whittle’s development work. -
Boeing 247
A modern airliner, Boeing 247, flies for the first time. It's a twin-engine 10-passenger monoplane that is the first modern commercial airliner. With variable-pitch propellers, it has an economical cruising speed and excellent takeoff. Retractable landing gear reduces drag during flight. -
First Jet Aircraft Takes Flight - Heinkel He 178
The turbojet-powered Jet Heinkel 178, was the worlds first ever jet aircraft. The Heinkel He 178 was a private investment by the German Heinkel company for director Ernst Heinkel's importance on developing technology toward high-speed flight. The design was based on the performance of a young engineer, Hans von Ohain Hans who had taken out a prohibition on using the exhaust from a gas turbine as a means of thrust. -
Chuck Yeager - The First Person to Break the Sound Barrier
Chuck Yeager is an American test pilot who was the first person to break the sound barrier. This is when a speeding object (such as an aeroplane) passes the speed of sound. Chuck Yeager was the first-ever person to do this with an aeroplane. Yeager made his history setting flight on Oct. 14, 1947, in an aeroplane, he nicknamed Glamorous Glennis, after his wife. -
The Jumbo Jet
Jumbo jets have changed the face of commercial aviation. The economies of scale provided by a 400-seat airliner meant airlines could offer cheap tickets that made it possible to fly large quantities fo people at one time. -
Introduction of Winglets
The Model 28 prototype employed the first winglets ever used on a jet and a production aircraft, either civilian or military. Their main purpose is to reduce turbulence at the tips of an aeroplane's wings. -
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European aircraft company Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner.
