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Apr 15, 1452
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci made the first real studies of flight in the 1480's. He had over 100 drawings that illustrated his theories on flight. Apparently he was homosexual but this has been greatly debated through the centuries. -
Sir George Cayley
He did many great things. Many consider him as the first true scientific aerial investigator and first person to understand the underlying principles and forces of flight. -
Montgolfier
The two Montgolfier brother s were the first to invent an active hot air balloon. It was made in France.There names were Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier and Joseph-Michel Montgolfier -
Otto Lilienthal
was a German pioneer of human aviation who became known as the Glider King. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. He followed an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George Cayley. Newspapers and magazines published photographs of Lilienthal gliding, favorably influencing public and scientific opinion about the possibility of flying machines becoming practical. -
Charles Kingsford Smith
In 1928, he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia. He also made the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland, the first flights between Australia and New Zealand, and the first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States. He also made a flight from Australia to London, and set a new record of 10.5 days. -
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Orville and Wilbur Wright were two Americans who are generally credited with inventing and building the world's first successful aeroplane. -
Igor Sikorsky Immigrates to America
Igor Sikorsky
Igor was born in Russia and migrated to America in 1919. Sikorsky founded the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in 1923, and developed the first of Pan American Airways' ocean-conquering flying boats in the 1930s. He also developed the Sikorsky Skycrane which is still in use today. -
Charles Lindbergh
A 25 year old. Was famous for flying solo across the atlantic ocean. -
Death of Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart was the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross. She is also known for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and setting many aviation records. -
Enola Gay (aircraft)
The Enola gay was the plane that was created to execute the deployment of the first atomic bomb. It was used by the United States army. They were planning to use it in WWII. -
The Flight of The Spruce Goose
The Spruce Goose is the nickname for the Hughes H-4 Hercules. The aircraft made its only flight on November 2, 1947. Despite its nickname, the H-4 was built almost entirely of birch, rather than spruce. -
Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett was a widely known American aviator, sailor and adventurer. He was mainly known for being the first person to fly solo and nonstop around the world in a balloon. A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, Fossett set 116 records in five different sports, 60 of which still stood as of June 2007.
