For more than two thousand years, the history of aviation has taken form. From its earliest variants, such as the use of kites, attempts at tower jumping and other medieval flight forms, aviation has seen an incredible transformation to hypersonic and supersonic flights, powered by jets that are heavier than air. In China, the flying of kites dated back hundreds of years B. C., and gradually, the practice was adopted throughout the world. Thought to be the earliest forms of synthetic flight, kite flying remains to this day. In the 15th century, a dream by Leonardo da Vinci saw the expression of unscientific rational designs that still bears an effect on the contemporary aviation world. Although Leonardo did not attempt to create any of his designs, they have had a profound implication on aviation concepts. The discovery of hydrogen gas in the 18 th century resulted in the discovery of the hydrogen balloon. It is worth pointing out that it is in this period that the Montgolfier brothers redesigned the hot air balloon, resulting in manned flight commencements. Around this period, various evolutions by physicists in mechanical theories such as the Newtonian laws of motion, fluid dynamics and others led to the foundational basis of aerodynamics, which consequently led to contemporary civil aviation. This paper looks at the history of civil aviation. From the first flight to the contributions of world war one, the airmail, and the commercialization of flights, this paper discusses these evolutions rigorously, detailing aircraft innovations that proved essential for the modernization of aviators.
After the flying of people using balloons and gliders, came the heavier-than-air machines that defied flight challenges. In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright cemented four years of their research and design efforts with a flight that lasted twelve seconds using a 120-foot flying apparatus at Kitty Hawk. Among first flights also was the first person to fly as a messenger. Outside of a meadow in rural Paris, Leon Delagrange flew with the French pilot, Henri Farman, clinching the title of the first flight passenger ("History of Aviation - First Flights," 2017). Later that year, Charles Furnas earned the title of first American airplane passenger when he took a flight with the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk ("History of Aviation - First Flights," 2017). In a history dipped in the story, this air service involved the use of boat planes, which could land and take off at sea. Using a design by Glenn Curtis, Thomas Benoist designed this plane and would later become the resident ferry, used to transport people across the Tampa Bay. This first air service was a company known as the Tampa Air Boat Line. This service operated two flights each day for close to four months, after which, it folded at the end of the winter season when tourists would abate.
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From such humble beginnings, aviation evolved during the World War I. In these times, aircraft design improvements were highly valued and desired. Governments from both sides of the Atlantic needed versatile aviation instruments, and this brought about their recognition and subsequently, production increments. During this period, an enhancement of motors enabled most airplanes to attain speeds of up to 130 miles per hour, which was more than twice the speed experienced on pre-war aircraft (Salvatore et al., 2017). In addition, an increase in overall engine power made the production of large aircraft possible, translating to more stability and versatility to aviation in general. During this time also, the technology for commercial aviation viability was available. However, because of the war, commercial aviation would not be possible for several reasons. In the public’s eye, the use of aircraft was for bombing, aerial dogfights, and surveillance. However, in some European countries such as France and Great Britain, air services were started to enable people to cross the English Channel. In America, the situation was different since there was no separation of most of the country’s major cities by natural occurrences.
By the year 1917, the American government concluded that enough progress had been made concerning plane development and that this warranted the transportation of mail by air. Following such conclusions, $100,000 was set aside by the Congress for the expansion of a trial airmail service that was to be done by the military in conjunction with the post office between New York and Washington, having an intermediary impediment in Philadelphia. From this mail service, came the Contract Air Mail Act of 1925, which transferred mail service to the private sector for competitive bids after realizing the profitable feasibility of airmail. Following the success of airmail, the Air Commerce Act of 1926 was effected, which authorized the designation of air routes, navigational systems, licensed pilots and crafts, and the investigation of failures and other technical issues (Batchelor & Chant, 1991). It was the effectiveness and likeability of airmail that gave birth to commercial flights and brought about the realization of profitability in providing air service. By the 1930s, the aviation industry was already seeing immense innovations. Aircraft designers and fabricators responded to numerous challenges and the potential for improvements such as the use of air-cooled as opposed to water-cooled engines, the reduction of weight and size expansion, improvements of cockpit instruments and the introduction of artificial horizons to guide navigators. Such improvements, coupled with the integration of the radio, led to enormous significance on the overall aviation design and technology. These enhancements brought about the first airliners such as the Boeing 247, unveiled in 1933. Ultimately, while the aviation industry has immense history, its culmination is in civil aviation and its commercialization.
References
Batchelor, J., & Chant, C. (1991). Flight: The History Of Aviation . New York, N.Y.: Gallery Books, an imprint of W.H. Smith Pub.
History of Aviation - First Flights . (2017). Avjobs, Inc . Retrieved 25 August 2017, from http://www.avjobs.com/history/
Salvatore, S., Anderson, J., Bednarek, J., Bilstein, R., Vega, C., Beck, M., & Shick, L. (2017). American Aviation Heritage . The National Historic Landmarks Program.
