It is hard to believe that there was a time when people could not fly. flying seems so commonplace now, but it was only just over 100 years ago that the Wright brothers took to the skies for the very first time.
In the century since then, aviation has come a long, long way. Here are five pivotal moments in the history of aviation.
1. The Wright Brothers Make The First Powered Flight In History.
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made aviation history when they succeeded in making the first powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine. The Wright brothers’ achievement was made possible by their invention of three-axis control, which allowed them to steer the airplane horizontally as well as up and down.
This made it possible for pilots to keep the airplane level during takeoff and landing, as well as while flying.
2. Charles Lindbergh Makes The First Solo Transatlantic Flight.
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Lindbergh’s feat was an incredible accomplishment, and it ushered in a new era of air travel. Suddenly, the world seemed smaller and more accessible than ever before.
3. Jet Engines Are Invented.
The invention of jet engines in the 1940s revolutionized both air travel and warfare. Jet engines are more efficient than propeller-driven engines, and they can propel an airplane at much higher speeds.
Jet engines also made it possible for airplanes to fly at higher altitudes, which is important for both commercial and military applications.
4. Space Exploration Becomes Possible.
The invention of rocket propulsion in the early 20th century laid the groundwork for space exploration. However, it wasn’t until 1961 that a human being successfully completed a journey into space:
On April 12th of that year, Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit the Earth in a spacecraft. Gagarin’s achievement opened up a whole new frontier for humanity, and we’ve been exploring it ever since.
5. Spacex Launches The First Reusable Rocket Into Space.
On March 30th, 2017, SpaceX made history when it launched a used Falcon 9 rocket into space and then safely landed it back on Earth. This marked a major milestone in spaceflight, as it showed that rockets can be reused instead of being discarded after each launch.
This could potentially save billions of dollars in future space exploration efforts!
In just over 100 years, aviation has come a long way—from the Wright brothers’ historic first flight to SpaceX’s launch of the world’s first reusable rocket! What will the next century of aviation bring? We can only wait and see… but one thing is for sure: It’s going to be an exciting ride!