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Jan 1, 1485
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci designed the ornithopter, a wing-flapping aircraft that would use almost every muscle of the human body. -
First Transport in a Hot Air Balloon
A duck, a sheep, and a rooster flew for eight minutes in a hot air balloon made of linen and paper by the Montgolfier brothers. -
Glider to carry a person
A glider designed by Sir George Cayley lifted a ten year old boy briefly into the air. -
First Airship
Henri Giffard flew the first airship 27 km. Other people had built and flown balloons filled with hydrogen, but Giffard's balloon had an and a way to change direction so you could control where you flew. Because his small engine was not very powerful it could not beat the winds so Giffard couldn't make the return flight . However, he did manage to turn the airship in slow circles, proving that in calm conditions controlled flight was possible. -
Finding a better shaped wing
Otto Lilienthal built the first practical glider for long flights. He is credited with establishing that curved wings flew better than flat wings. -
First Powered Flight
In Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville Wright became the first to achieve controlled powered flight. He flew for twelve seconds. -
First Helicopter
Paul Cornu, a Frenchman, built the first free-flying helicopter -
Steering a plane
With Glenn Curtiss as pilot, the June Bug, named due to its resemblance to the same named insect, was the first plane to make a complete turn -
Zeppelin Airships
Commercial Aviation began before WWI with the introduction of passenger carrying Zeppelin Airships; between 1910 and 1914,these airships carried more than 35,000 passengers between various German cities. -
Autopilot
Autopilot was invented by Elmer Sperry. -
NASA
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, predecessor of NASA, was created by the U.S. -
Rockets
Robert Goddard worked with rockets as a means of air travel. -
The First Modern Airliner
The first modern airliner, the Boeing 247, made its initial flight. Its capacity is 10 passengers and 180 kg of luggage. Luxuries included armchair seats, a flight attendant, and a bathroom. -
Jet Engine
The jet engine was invented by Frank Whittle. -
First modern helicopter
Igor Sikorsky was credited for the first modern helicopter. -
First satellite in Space
Russians launched Sputnik I, the first man-made satellite. -
Hovercraft
Hovercraft invented by Christopher Cockerell. -
First Man in Space
Russian Yuri Gagarin was the first person in space.His rocket's name was Vostok 1. -
Man Landed on the Moon
United States Apollo11 astronauts landed on the moon. -
Skylab
The first United States space station, Skylab, proved that people can live in space for long periods of time. -
First Space Shutle
Columbia, the first Space Shuttle, was launched.
