Emerging Aviation Technology
Over the past one hundred years, aviation has allowed the United States to make huge technological advancements. These advancements have shaped and influenced the American culture in a positive way, providing Americans an enriched, productive way of life.
From the first flight of the Wright Brothers in December, 1903, to the Rocky Mountain Airshow in August, 2013, one can observe how aviation technology has advanced over the years. The Rocky Mountain Airshow in August of 2013 exhibited aircraft from World War II to the modern F-22 Raptor. Thousands of people flocked to see demonstrations of new and older aviation technology firsthand. During the demonstration of the F-22 Raptor, the latest and greatest fighter aircraft for the United States military, the feeling of supremacy and pride could be felt among the entire crowd as chills shot up and down the spectators’ spine. The sound, speed, agility, technological advances, and sheer size of the aircraft were awe-inspiring. Being on the receiving end of such dominance and power for whatever reason is exhilarating. To witness the Raptor firsthand in 2013, a person cannot help feeling thunderstruck and astounded about the advancements made in aviation over the past one hundred years.
Imagine what the current economy would be like without aviation! Today, practically every business depends upon its many services. Aviation is an integral part of how companies in the United States do business throughout the world. Mailing packages that used to take weeks or months to deliver can now be delivered in a matter of hours. Because commerce has become industrious, companies rely solely on products being delivered throughout the world. FedEx’s average daily volume i...
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Armies and Navies have clashed since antiquity, but the airplane that enables aerial combat is barely a century old. Airplanes saw widespread combat in the First World War, and, despite the doubts and financial concerns of military leaders of the time, the brave men who fly them have gained their own dedicated military division, the United States Air Force. Billy Mitchell, through his charisma and an image that endeared him in American culture, was an instrumental figure in developing the modern Air Force.
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The history of aerial flight is often looked at from the perspective of the great moments, from the first flight of the Wright Brothers in 1903, to the Battle of Britain, but many less than stellar moments have perhaps shaped the formation of aviation in ways that may have been overlooked. Heavier-than-air flight, as it were, was in its infancy of development in Britain, due to tightening Government spending and unconvinced investors. For instance, the Wright Brothers were actually invited to come to Britain, but were turned away because the Treasury was unwilling to financially back their aerial experiments. Just the same, the British Balloon Factories were offered meager investments compared to the financial backing that the giant airships, or Zeppelins, were receiving in ...
There were many milestones in creating “the first airplane.” Many inventors like Joseph Michael and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier who started all the talk that flying is actually possible by launching their first successful hot air balloon in 1783. However, the Wright brothers are accredited with the end result of the airplane’s first successful flight. The Wright Brothers invented and did their testing of their engine propelled airplane in Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. By 1903, the brothers built a biplane named through history as the Wright Flyer (Ethell 19). Through the works of the Wright brothers and other equally important contributors we prove that humans can fly. The entire world was abuzz at what the Wright Brothers had achieved. Finally, after all these years of enviously watching birds fly over their...
Wilbur and Orville Wright were pioneers, skilled craftsman, and engineers not only in aviation but in many other trades as well. “They loved to tinker and experiment with mechanical things and it characterized the Wrights through out their lives. Each of the brothers had a deeply ingrained inquisitive streak that was nurtured in a home that was encouraged.” (Moolman, 1980, p. 107) They had a good family upbringing, but moved frequently. The Wright brothers paved the way for aviation to take off with their thoughts, ideas, and inventions.
Aviation has come a long way since the 19th century, from the Wright brothers taking flight with the first powered and controlled gliders, to aircraft that can travel up to supersonic speeds, orbiting satellites and space stations which then were only thought to be science-fiction. Aerospace and aviation has proven to be one of the biggest challenges to advance in the entirety of human existence. There are many factors and characteristics that contributed to this advancement such as the engines of aircraft, forces of flight, aerodynamic forces, wingspans etc. The two most significant aspects however have been; World War 1 and World War 2.
The trials and tribulations of flight have had their ups and downs over the course of history. From the many who failed to the few that conquered; the thought of flight has always astonished us all. The Wright brothers were the first to sustain flight and therefore are credited with the invention of the airplane. John Allen who wrote Aerodynamics: The Science of Air in Motion says, “The Wright Brothers were the supreme example of their time of men gifted with practical skill, theoretical knowledge and insight” (6). As we all know, the airplane has had thousands of designs since then, but for the most part the physics of flight has remained the same. As you can see, the failures that occurred while trying to fly only prove that flight is truly remarkable.
The history of flying dates back as early as the fifteenth century. A Renaissance man named Leonardo da Vinci introduced a flying machine known as the ornithopter. Da Vinci proposed the idea of a machine that had bird like flying capabilities. Today no ornithopters exist due to the restrictions of humans, and that the ornithopters just aren’t practical. During the eighteenth century a philosopher named Sir George Cayley had practical ideas of modern aircraft. Cayley never really designed any workable aircraft, but had many incredible ideas such as lift, thrust, and rigid wings to provide for lift. In the late nineteenth century the progress of aircraft picks up. Several designers such as Henson and Langley, both paved the way for the early 1900’s aircraft design. Two of the most important people in history of flight were the Wright Brothers. The Wright Brothers were given the nickname the “fathers of the heavier than air flying machine” for their numerous flights at their estate in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville and Wilbur Wright created a motor-powered biplane in which they established incredible feats of the time. The Wright Brothers perfected their design of the heavier than air flying ma...
The Post Office Department may seem like a strange office to regulate air traffic, but their intentions were somewhat different than today’s FAA. After World War I, the heavy use of planes was noticed as a possible way to transport people and goods throughout the co...
The future of passenger aircraft and their manufactures has an amazing outlook. Every year the brightest minds in aviation compile the greatest technological advances towards creating the safest and most economical aircraft on the planet. No detail is over looked, and the bottom dollar is the all controlling factor. From private aircraft to public aircraft, space exploration and beyond, the future is bright for the passenger aircraft market, and everyone who purchases air travel should be excited to see how industry unfolds.
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