| Aviation and the art of flying has been a major quest throughout history. From Leonardo da Vinci to Jack Northrop's flying wing, the desire to take to the air and the creation of "flying machines" has inspired those who will always challenge the conventions of the moment. I am a pilot and I love to fly so take a moment to see what has driven so many to accomplish so much. | ||
| The first people known to be able to claim to "fly free" were the Montgolfier brothers flying their hot-air balloons. They tested their first balloon in 1782, and even took up two passengers on November 12, 1783. Ballooning is still a great way to rise above it all but to be able to control all aspects of your flight requires more from your machine. | Controlled flight began with experimentation with gliders. One of the earliest known pioneers in glider design was Sir George Cayley. He believed (rightly) that the power plants of the day were not suitable for powered flight. Thus he designed and built gliders, never actually flying himself but leaving that to his coachman. In 1853, Cayley's glider made a 1640 foot flight across a valley. During the 1890's Otto Lilienthal of Germany, experimented with gliders making over 2000 flights before he was killed in an accident in 1896. | |
| Powered flight was finally achieved with the flight by Orville Wright in the famous Wright Flyer in 1903. Orville and his brother, Wilbur designed a powered aircraft that could be controlled throughout its flight. The first flight was on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and managed a 131 foot ride powered by a 10Hp motor that they had designed and built themselves. | From there, the list of aviators and aeronautical engineers is a long one but one thing continues and that is the desire to soar above the earth. |
| Have you ever wanted to learn to fly? It's easier than you think to get started. Click Here and Learn to Fly | 
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Where to learn in the high desert of Southern California. Try Barnes Aviation located at Fox Field (Lancaster) or Midfield Aviation located at Apple Valley Airport. |
| Wright Flyer | Cessna 150/152 | Piper Super Cub | Updated Ford Tri-Motor |
References: The History of Invention/from Stone Axes... by Trevor I. Williams