Timeline: Engineer Timleine Powered Flight

1903

First Powered Flight

Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first recorded powered, sustained and controlled flight in a heavier-than-air flying machine.

1930

Jet engine invented

British inventor Frank Whittle invents the jet engine.

1932

First woman flies across Atlantic

Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly a solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight.

1939

First jet-propelled aircraft

Germany’s Heinkel 178 is the first fully jet-propelled aircraft to fly.

1969

First supersonic transport flight

First flights of supersonic transport – Soviet TU-144 and Anglo-French Concorde.

1970

First Boeing 747 commercial flight

Boeing 747 makes the first commercial flight.

1979

Longest human-powered flight

Bryan Allen pedals the Gossamer Albatross across the English Channel, breaking the distance record for human-powered flight.

1986

First non-stop flight around world

Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager fly the US ultralight Voyager around the world in a 9-day non-stop flight from California to California.

2005

First non-stop world solo flights

Steve Fossett makes the first non-stop solo flight around the world (2005) and in 2006 lands in England after flying around the world once and crossing the Atlantic twice – a distance of 26,389.3 miles (42,469.46 kilometres).

2009

New glider record

New Zealand pilot Terry Delore breaks the world gliding record by 100 kilometres, travelling a total of 2400 kilometres within New Zealand.

2011

Martin jetpack

In an unmanned test, the Martin jetpack reaches an altitude of 5000 feet (1524 metres). The jetpack, invented by New Zealander, Glenn Martin, is a small flying device for one person. It was named one of the world’s top 10 inventions in 2010.

2011

World’s first flying car

The Transition® by Terrafugia is a roadable aircraft – an aeroplane that can take off and land at any airport and, with the push of a button, fold up its wings and drive down the road.

2016