The Innovations of Airplanes

First Helicopter Model

Sep 25, 1796

In 1976 Sir George Cayley buily the first helicopter model with feather propellers. The device would climb and then float down.

First Flyable Model Aircraft

Sep 25, 1804

The first model aircraft used a paper kite for a wing resting on a slender wooden pole. At the back, he attached a tail assembly like today's planes have.

The Monoplane

Sep 25, 1848

John Stringfellow achieved the first sustained flight with a power-driven model in 1848 with his steam-powered monoplane.

First Triplane Glider built

Sep 25, 1849

In 1849 Cayley designed a triplane glider, which was the first stable, full-size glider. However, this machine could only carry the weight of a child.

A Better Glider

Sep 25, 1853

In 1853 he built a full-size glider that could carry more than the weight of a child and ordered his coachman, John Appleby, to test it.

The Wright Brothers

Dec 17, 1903

They hired an engineer named Robeson to build the engine designed by Orville Wright. On December 17, 1903, they acheived the first four controlled flights in a power-driven airplane.

Ducted Airplane fans

Sep 25, 1930

Ducted fans were used on full-scale aircraft in the 1930s.

Citations

Sep 25, 2012

Advameg. "How Products Are Made." George Cayley Biography (1773-1857). Advameg, 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.madehow.com/inventorbios/74/George-Cayley.html. Fiddlersgreen.net. "Cayley's 1804 Glider | Aircraft |." Cayley's 1804 Glider | Aircraft |. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/aircraft/Cayley-FlyingMachine.html. "WebWings | History of Aviation | Alphonse Penaud." WebWings | History of Aviation | Alphonse Penaud. The Indiana Academy / Ball Sta