To the modern day, airplanes are an essential and integrative part of our lifestyle. Air travel has improved intercontinental transportation time from long, arduous months to mere hours. Yet, this innovative technology did not emerge overnight; in fact, the airplane’s humble beginnings first drew inspiration in the 18th century.
Early Inspiration
Human flight was first achieved in 1783 when inventors created the hot air balloon. Essentially, the balloon relied on the use of hot air. Because warm air rises and cool air sinks, the temperature difference allows hot air to become lighter than cool air. These ingenious men filled the balloon with hot air, causing the contraption to rise into the sky. A basket was attached to the balloon to carry passengers; height was adjusted based on the amount of heat pumped into the balloon. Yet for all the success of the hot air balloon, the first airplane didn’t come to fruition until the late 19th century.
The First Plane and Beyond
In 1853, Sir George Cayley built the first passenger-carrying glider utilizing the concepts of lift and drag forces. During the 1890’s, the Wright brothers revolutionized airplane design by constructing gliders with rudders for steering and wing flaps for control; their first flight occurred in 1903 and lasted a whole 12 seconds. The brothers soon improved their design to incorporate a motor engine. Their design enabled for a fully controllable, stable flight during an extended amount of time. Read the full story
