A Brief History of Aviation - 1908 Onwards

This is part two of a two-part review of Aviationyears. In 1925, Congress passed the Kelly Air Mail act
from its beginnings to the present day. It is awhich authorized the Post Office Department to
subjective look at a few of the highlights in thecontract with air-transport operators. This made it
development of Aviation over the centuries.possible to transport U.S. mail by air; after this, 14
Glenn Hammond Curtiss who was well known in thedomestic airmail companies were created in 1926.
aviation field by 1908, won the first American award,On May 20, 1927 Charles A. Lindbergh took off in
the Scientific American Trophy, for an airplane flightThe Spirit of St. Louis from Roosevelt Field near New
when he flew the 'June Bug' 5090 ft (1552m) in 1 minYork City landing in Paris in 33 1/2 hours later.
42.5 sec on July 4, 1908. Curtiss also went on to winThe largest operator of all the international airlines in
the first international speed event, at about 47mphoperation prior to WWII was Pan American Airways.
(75.6 km/h), on August 28, 1910. He also became thePan American served 46 countries and colonies linking
first American to develop and fly a seaplane -- theall continents and nearly all oceans. Its huge seaplanes
first successful seaplane flight having been done bywere known worldwide as the Flying Clippers.
Henri Fabre of France on March 28, 1910.Pan American World Airways began life in 1927 with
Before World War I, airplane design greatly improved.some single engine aircraft and a single route from
Pusher biplanes (two-winged airplanes with the engineKey West, Florida, to Havana. From this beginning
and propeller behind the wing) were succeeded bycame the airline that would literally open the world to
tractor biplanes (two-winged airplanes with the engineAviation. Pan Am launched more new aircraft
and propeller in front of the wing). Monoplane designsdevelopment than any other airline in history. It
were rare and when World War I began, hugepioneered routes across the world's oceans and
biplane bombers with two to four engines werecontinents, eventually operating daily flights circling
developed. Airmail was also started, although it onlythe globe.
lasted a week. The first airmail officially approved byDuring World War II, aircraft became a decisive
the U.S. Post Office Department began onfactor in warfare and Aviation generally took giant
September 23, 1911 and the pilot (Earle Ovington)steps forward. Small aircraft production increased
carried the mail on his legs and tossed the bagsignificantly. Before World War II only about 193,000
overboard when he reached his destination. Also inpeople were employed in the aviation industry and
1911, the first transcontinental flight across the U.S.during 1941 the number increased to 450,000; also,
was completed by Calbraith P. Rodgers. His flightaround 3,375,000 passengers were transported by 18
from New York to California took 3 days, 10 hoursU.S. airlines at this time, around 1 million more than in
and 14 minutes and was by a Wright aircraft.1940. Airmail and express cargo would also increase
During WWI Aviation made great leaps forward inby around 30 percent. But by the end of World War
the fields of design and manufacture of aircraft.II, a new frontier of flight would take shape, jet and
Equally important was the experience gained by therocket propelled aircraft.
pilots flying the early fighter craft through the aerialAfter World War II and by 1947 all the basic
maneouvers required in dog fights. Von Richthofen,technology needed for Aviation had been developed;
Rickenbacker and numerous others were sojet propulsion, aerodynamics, radar, etc. Civilian
successful because they had learned to master theiraircraft orders drastically increased from 6,844 in
aircraft.1941 to 40,000 by the end of 1945. One of the
Some amazing progress in record breaking forminor military contractors was the Boeing Company
aviation took place between 1919 and 1926. Captainwho later became the largest aircraft manufacturer in
E. F. White made a nonstop flight from Chicago tothe world. With all the new technologies developed
New York (727 mi - 1170km) in 1919 and Lieutenantby this time, airliners were larger, faster and featured
Oakley Kelly and Lieutenant John A. Macready madepressurized cabins. New aerodynamic designs, metals
the first nonstop transcontinental flight from May 2and power plants would result in high-speed turbojet
to May 3, 1923. This flight was made from Rooseveltairplanes. These planes would later be able to fly
Field, Long Island to Rockwell Field, San Diego; andsupersonically and make transoceanic flights regularly.
the first round the world flight was made from AprilOne of the more famous record breaking flights in
6 to September 28, 1924. Also in 1919, the firstAviation around this time was the Voyager,
nonstop transatlantic flight was made by John Williamdeveloped by Burt Rutan. The flight, maintaining an
Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown on June 14 to Juneaverage speed of 115.8 mph (186.3 km/h), lasted 9
15. It took a little over 16 hours to complete anddays, 3 minutes, 44 seconds and covered 25,012
they won the "London Daily Mail" prize of $50,000.miles (40254 km) and was completed in December
Mail delivery also took a major turn during these1986.