BY JENA FRACASSINI

The Evolution of Airplanes

Definition of an airplane

A fixed-wing aircraft, also known as an airplane, is capable of flight using a forward motion and air that passes over its wings to generate lift.

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The dream of flight dates back to the stories found in prehistory, such as in Greek legends of Icarus and Daedalus.

Leonardo da Vinci researched the wing designs of birds and designed a man powered aircraft, but he never built it

In the 18th century, two men flew in an aircraft lighter than air, called a balloon.

One of the biggest challenges in the early history of airplanes was to design a craft capable of controlled flight.

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Sir George Cayley, the founder of the science of aerodynamics, is also credited for separating the forces of “lift” and “drag”, which are used in every flight craft. He created the first glider to carry a passenger in 1853

The first self powered aircraft was created in 1903 by John Stringfellow.

The Wright Brothers

The Wright Brothers made their first successful test flights on December 17, 1903

These flights were recognized by the FAI as “the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flights”

The unique feature of the Wright brothers' aircraft, beginning with their 1902 glider, was the ability to roll the wings right or left, to pitch the nose up or down, and to yaw the nose from side to side

Advancement

The 1920’s brought improvements in wind-tunnel testing, engine and airframe design, and maintenance equipment, which made for better-performing airplanes. As a result, private planes became less expensive and, in turn, grew in number and popularity.

Another popular development in planes was the “auto-pilot”. This can be traced backed to 1908, and allows the pilot to fly above ground that he cannot see.

Importance

Airplanes in the 21st century are extremely important. Not only do they provide transportation for people traveling to different states, countries, or continents, but they also ship goods around the world. Planes also make much faster trips than boats, which were the primary ways of transportation before the invention of the aircraft.

WORKS CITED

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"The History of the Airplane - Orville and Wilbur Wright." Inventors. Web. 03 Feb. 2010. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blairplane.htm>.