The History of Aviation

  • First Four Flights

    On December 17, 1903 the Wright brothers make the first four flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville takes off first flying 127 feet in 12 seconds, and became the first ever heavier than air flight photographed. On the last flight, Wilbur, flies 853 feet in 59 seconds.
  • First World Circumnavigationl

    Four planes leave California and begin the first circumnavigation in the northern hemisphere.
  • Charles Lindbergh solos across Atlantic

    At 7:52 Charles Lindbergh leaves Roosevelt Field, Long Island in his plane the "Spirit of Saint Louis." Thirty one and one half hours later he landed in Paris becoming the first to ever cross the Atlantic alone.
  • Sound Barrier Broken

    Charles "Chuck" Yeager is the first man to ever break the sound barrier. Flying the experimental Bell X-1 at 45,000 feet, Chuck reaches Mach 1.
  • First Seven Astronauts

    NASA selects its first even astronauts Scott Carpenter,Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Sheperd, Deke Slayton for Project Mercury.
  • On the Moon

    Landing the Lunar Module the "Eagle" on July 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin become the first to walk on Earth's moon. They returned to Earth in the Apollo 11 with 47.5 pounds of Lunar rock.
  • Floating Females

    NASA selects its first group of women astronauts.
  • Challenger Disaster

    Only 73 seconds into flight, the space shuttle, The Challenger, burst into flames, killing all 7 of the crew members.
  • Aviation Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary

    100 years since the first four flights by the Wright brothers.
  • Solar Impulse

    Bertrand Piccard and his Solar Impulse team make aviation history by flying more than 24 consecutive hours non-stop in a solar airplane.