This section profiles the daring innovators who first achieved powered flight and pushed the frontiers of aviation in the early decades. It covers critical figures like the Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Charles Lindbergh.
Otto Lilienthal (1848-1896).
Otto Lilienthal was a pioneering German aviator who made over 2,000 successful glider flights starting in the 1890s. His meticulous research and...
The development of heavier-than-air flight has a long and storied history full of daring innovators who pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible....
The Wright Brothers' patent struggles certainly impacted the early development of American aviation. The lawsuits they filed against other manufacturers, including Glenn Curtiss, slowed...
Pioneering Flights that Pushed the Boundaries of Aviation
The early decades of powered flight saw daredevil aviators accomplish feats that captured the public’s imagination and...
The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur did not immediately present their airplanes to the public after they built them. There were several reasons for...
George Cayley (1773-1857)
Cayley was an English engineer and inventor who pioneered modern aeronautical engineering. In 1799, he set forth the concept of the...
Glenn Hammond Curtiss was one of the most prolific innovators and successful entrepreneurs in early aviation history. His technological contributions and business acumen helped...
The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur are considered the pioneers of powered flight. They began their experimentation with flight in the 1890s, drawing on...
Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834-1906).
Langley was an American astronomer, physicist, inventor, and aviation pioneer. From 1887 to 1903, he experimented with rubber-band-powered models and larger...
Breaking Barriers: Remarkable Women in Early Aviation
The pioneering early decades of flight were dominated by men, but courageous women also made their mark on...