The Wright Brothers and the History of Flight
From the Wright Brothers to Richard Branson, the history of flight has been a long one, but with some obviously incredible achievements along the way. Officially the first flight of an airplane occurred in 1903, that is to say that a flying machine carried a single passenger, took off via its own power, flew in the air for a considerable amount of time at a steady speed and then successfully landed without major any damage, a few minor scratches notwithstanding. This miraculous event was achieved by Wilbur and Orville Wright, two inventors and aerodynamic experts from America.
But the desire to fly and the idea of aviation had pestered mankind for decades before the Wright Bothers’ successful venture into the clouds. The great artist and inventor Leonardo Da Vinci is well documented for having detailed diagrams of various flying machines, the most famous of which didn’t look dissimilar to a helicopter. Other early attempts by industrious inventors included all types of hot air balloons, kites, gliders and airships. By definition, an airplane must have a fixed wing and be powered by propellers or jet engines, and to this end it was indeed the Wright Brothers who launched the first triumphant one into the air.
The first fathers of flight had put in an application for a patent on their flying machine almost a year before it actually took off the ground. The Brothers were notorious documenters of their endeavors (which is why there are such thorough reports still available now on their aerodynamic experiments). They took many pictures and made many sketches of their test flights and even convinced a lifesaving station’s attendant to photograph Orville in full flight.
The aircraft flew to an altitude of approximately ten feet, traveled just over one hundred and twenty feet, and landed twelve seconds after takeoff. After two more attempts that same day the Wright Brothers accomplished two longer flights. Orville and Wilbur Wright then sent a telegram to their family, instructing their father to inform the press that manned flight had officially occurred. And this heralded the birth of the first proper airplane.
Since then jet propeller aircraft technology has advanced leaps and bounds and dominates the majority of aviation practices these days. The military, commercial and leisure sectors of flight all mainly use airplanes powered by jet engines which are far quicker with significantly more thrust than propeller powered planes. The two aerodynamic engineers who are attributed with the responsibility of developing the jet engine are Germany’s Hans von Ohain and England’s Frank Whittle during the late 1930s.
Commercial aircraft have come along stylistically but the technology has remained relatively the same for a few decades now. These days it’s all about design and comfort, airlines trying to offer the best in affordable luxury, from Virgin Atlantic and private jets to Easy Jet offers and commercial aircraft. Who knows what the next big development in the history of flight will be? Space is the final frontier.
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