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BC Early Flight
The first experiment of flight occured in China through the use of kites. kites were used in ceremonies and religious festivals. kites became the forerunner to balloons and festivals. -
Jan 1, 1485
Leonardo Da Vinci
In Early flight Humans began to study and Imitate bird flight.
Leonardo Da Vinci Supported this theory and worked on over 100 drawing illustrating the wings and tails of birds, ideas for man carrying machines, and devices for the testing of wings. -
Apr 1, 1485
The Ornithopter
The Ornithopter was a flying machine that was never created.
It was a design that Leonardo da Vinci created to show how man could fly. It used the idea of bird wings.The modern day helicopter is based on this model -
Montgolfier Brothers
Joseph and Jacques were brothers that first invented the hot air balloon.They used smoke from a fire to blow air into a colourful silk bag with was attached to a basket.The hot air is lighter than cold air so the balloon rose. -
First Passengers on the Hot Air Balloon
The first passengers were sheep, roster and duck.
The balloon travelled over a mile at 6000 feet. The flight was successful.The first manned flight was on November 21, 1783, the passengers were Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent. -
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George Cayley- Gliders
Sir George Clay designed gliders using concepts of wing design, body movement steering and vertical tail.A young boy who was not named was the first person to use one of Caley’s gliders.For over 50 years Cayley made improvements to is gliders. -
Improvements from Gliders
He improved the shape of the wings for air to fly over correctly, the stability of the tail to control the plane.George Cayley wrote "On Ariel Navigation" that showed that a fixed wing aircraft would need machine power to fly for a long period of time. -
The Wright Brothers
Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first men to design and fly a powered aircraft.During the late 1890’s there was a bicycle craze in America and they were the best mechanics in Westdayton. This funded them through time of creation.The Wright Brothers, like da Vinci, studied how birds flew for inspiration for their inventions. -
The First Flight
Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first men to design and fly a powered aircraft.During the late 1890’s there was a bicycle craze in America and they were the best mechanics in Westdayton. This funded them through time of creation.The Wright Brothers, like da Vinci, studied how birds flew for inspiration for their inventions. -
A Receipt from the Navy
this was the first plane that was sold to the US Navy. the Wright Brothers would later be offered a contract in 1909. -
The First Fatal Crash
The first crash with passengers on board came on the 17th of September 1908 just months after the brothers allowed people to fly with them.Although Orville survived, passenger Thomas Selfridge did not -
The US Navy
In 1909 the Wright brothers were offered 25,000 dollars by the government for their planes if they could guarantee a flight time of at least an hour and a speed of 40mph along with a safe landing.This was hugely important as world war one was only around the corner in 1914.
