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The Beginning
On December 17, the Wright brothers made history by flying an airplane successfully for a good amount of time. The airplane was a self-propelled aircraft that stayed in the air for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet.The Wright brothers grew up in Dayton, Ohio and is where they created their own business repairing bikes and selling them. They had 3 attempts of flying a plane but those weren't sufficient until December 17.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-airplane-flies -
First Takeoff From Ship
Eugene Ely was the first person to takeoff from an aircraft carrier. Eugene barely survived the takeoff but the plane suffered some damage. The waves damaged the propeller but the plane was mainly in tact. After the plane took some damage, the plane began to rise which led to the worldwide use of the aircraft carrier. http://www.dailypress.com/features/history/our-story/dp-first-takeoff-from-a-ship-paved-the-way-for-the-aircraft-carrier-20131113-post.html -
First Flight Across the North Atlantic
Lt. Albert C. Read was the pilot to fly a plane across the North Atlantic. Albert flew from Newfoundland to London with a few stops in between. Later on Albert and John Alcock made the first transatlantic flight to Ireland without any stops. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
Lightweight and air-cooled radial engines introduced
This new technology was used for faster planes and it was also to solve the overheating issue going on. It was also to make for bigger planes and revolutionize aeronautics. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
First Non-Stop Flight Across the Atlantic
Charles Lindbergh travels a total of 3600 miles from New York to Paris in the Spirit of St. Louis. Albert Hegenberger and Lester Haitland travel from Oakland to Hawaii. It was a 2400 mile trip and was the first and longest open flight to date. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
First Commercial Airline
The 347 was the first modern commercial flight and seated 10 passengers. It was a dual engine with pitch-propellers and had excellent cruising speed. It also had a landing gear that reduces drag. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
World War II
During World War II, the increase in production and innovation for planes was in demand. The Germans produce a fighter plane that can travel 540 mph. Radars were being created to track planes at night. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
Sound Barrier is Broken
Captain Charles "Chuck" Yeager becomes the fastest man alive when he breaks the sound barrier with the Bell X-1 in Victoria, California. -
First Aircraft Is Built by Computer Software
Boeing introduces the twin-engine 777 which was the first to fly and the first aircraft to be designed in a computer. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3728 -
Keep Expanding...
Future development is in the works in creating new and improved planes. Also NASA and the military are working how to make planes faster, more reliable, more economic, safer, and many more technologies.
