Flight Timeline By zac271scout Jan 1, 1500 Da Vinci experiments with ornithopters Jan 1, 1783 First human balloon flight Jan 1, 1849 George Cayley creates a full size glider Jan 1, 1890 Otto Lilienthal tests small gliders Jan 1, 1920 Hindenburg dirigible explodes Jan 1, 1940 Francis Rogallo designs delta wing used in hang gliders Jan 1, 1973 Bill Bennet attaches propeller to glider- creates microlight