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| | Aviation history studies the development of mechanical flight from the first attempts of launching paper kites and gliders upto flights, equipped with engines, which are heavier than air and also more recently, its development.
Dream of mankind about flight, probably, was realized for the first time in China, where flying of person, tied to (in the form of punishment) paper kites was described in VI BC. Later, first glider flight on hang-glider was accomplished by Abbas Ibn Farnas in Al-Andalus in IХ BC. Even dream about flight found expression in several projects of Leonardo Da Vinci (XV AD), but he did not try to realize them. First serious attempts of flying a person were realized in Europe at the end of XVIII century.
Tethered air balloons, filled with hot air, were modernized in the first half of XIXth century and used in considerable scales in a number of wars of mid-century; use of them in Civil War in USA, when balloons were used for surveillance during battle at Petersburg, received huge popularity.
Experiments with gliders served as groundwork for building devices, heavier than air and in the beginning of XXth century, progress in engine-making technology made the engine-fit guided flight possible. From now on, aircraft designers tried very hard to create devices, which could fly faster, further and above and could have more simple control. Important factors, influencing the progress in aircraft technology:
Control: Initially, gliders were controlled by moving the body (Otto Lilienthal) or wing warping (Wright brothers). Modern airplanes use various means of mechanization— ailerons, yaw rudders and elevators. In some military airplanes (for example, fighter aircraft Su-27), aerodynamic stability is ensured by special system and flight without the system is actually impossible. Aerodynamic instability allows to provide higher maneuverability of flying machine, inaccessible to aerodynamically stable airplane.
Power: Aviation engines have become lighter and effective from Clement Ader’s steam engines to piston, jet and rocket engines.
Material: Originally, flying machines were made of fabrics and wood, then started using specially treated fabrics and steel tubes, completely aluminum designs (during World War II) and today, to a larger extent only composite materials are being used.
In the beginning of 21st century, tendency to create remotely operated or completely autonomous transport vehicles was given importance in the development of subsonic aviation. Variety of pilotless flying machines was created. In April 2001, pilotless plane RQ-4 Global Hawk flew from airbase Edwards in USA to Australia nonstop and without refuellings. It is the longest flight between two points, ever made by pilotless plane, flight time was 23 hrs 23 min. First completely autonomous transatlantic flight of computer-operated plane took place in October 2003.
Beginning of 21st century saw the discontinuation of Concorde services in commercial aviation. Supersonic flights appeared to be commercially inviable, as crossing the sound barrier without negative consequences was possible only over an ocean. Besides, Concorde consumed large quantity of aviation fuel and could transport limited number of passengers. |
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August 19 is the National Aviation Day in the United States. The holiday was established in 1939, by a presidential proclamation. The date of August 19 was chosen as it is the birthday of Orville Wright.
