73-550: The Napier-Heston Racer , also known as the Heston Type 5 Racer or Heston High Speed Aircraft J.5 , was a British single-seat racing monoplane developed in the 1940s . It was conceived by D. Napier & Son Ltd . and built by the Heston Aircraft Company . The purpose of this aircraft was to attempt a World Air Speed Record . The project was funded by William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield . The design team behind
146-604: A Douglas DC-7 , with one aircraft completing the circuit. In 2003, Red Bull created a series called the Red Bull Air Race World Championship , in which competitors flew individually between pairs of pylons, while performing prescribed manoeuvres. Usually held over water near large cities, the sport has attracted large crowds and renewed media interest in air racing. The inaugural season had stops in Austria and Hungary. In 2019, Red Bull decided not to continue
219-611: A 2,700 mi (2,346 nmi; 4,345 km) route from Long Island, New York to San Francisco, California , and back, which would see widespread carnage; including seven fatalities (two en route to the race). Of the 48 aircraft that started, 33 would complete the double crossing of the continent. In 1921 , the United States instituted the National Air Meets, which became the National Air Races in 1924 . In 1929 ,
292-399: A basic plane and must then be completed by the builder. Few companies produce planes on a large scale. However, the production of a plane for one company is a process that actually involves dozens, or even hundreds, of other companies and plants, that produce the parts that go into the plane. For example, one company can be responsible for the production of the landing gear, while another one
365-565: A combustion chamber or a solid fuel with oxidizer may burn in the fuel chamber. Whether liquid or solid-fueled, the hot gas is accelerated through a nozzle. In World War II , the Germans deployed the Me 163 Komet rocket-powered aircraft . The first plane to break the sound barrier in level flight was a rocket plane – the Bell X-1 in 1948. The North American X-15 broke many speed and altitude records in
438-681: A first flight. The flight tests continue until the aircraft has fulfilled all the requirements. Then, the governing public agency of aviation of the country authorizes the company to begin production. In the United States, this agency is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In the European Union, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); in the United Kingdom it is the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In Canada,
511-516: A fixed course, with the winner either returning the shortest time, the one to complete it with the most points, or to come closest to a previously estimated time. The first 'heavier-than-air' air race was held on 23 May 1909 - the Prix de Lagatinerie , at the Port-Aviation airport south of Paris , France. Four pilots entered the race, two started, but nobody completed the full race distance; though this
584-468: A form of roll control supplied either by wing warping or by ailerons and controlled by its pilot with a joystick and rudder bar. It was an important predecessor of his later Blériot XI Channel -crossing aircraft of the summer of 1909. World War I served as a testbed for the use of the airplane as a weapon. Airplanes demonstrated their potential as mobile observation platforms, then proved themselves to be machines of war capable of causing casualties to
657-412: A frame and made rigid by the lift forces exerted by the airflow over them. Larger aircraft have rigid wing surfaces which provide additional strength. Whether flexible or rigid, most wings have a strong frame to give them their shape and to transfer lift from the wing surface to the rest of the aircraft. The main structural elements are one or more spars running from root to tip, and many ribs running from
730-415: A high-pressure bonding method involving multiple laminations . The wings of the aircraft were designed with diminutive, thin-sectioned symmetrical airfoils optimized for high-speed flight. The elevator control circuit, developed by C.G.W Ebbutt, the chief draughtsman of the Heston Aircraft Company , featured a variable ratio. This allowed for large movements with small resulting pitch movements when
803-508: A hot air balloon with a promotional parse touting his newspaper. The event attracted 43 entrants, of which 16 appeared. It was there that aviation pioneer and military pilot Jimmy Doolittle , then thirteen, saw his first airplane. In the years before the First World War , popular interest in aviation led to a large number of air races in Europe; including the 1911 Circuit of Europe race,
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#1732851644467876-414: A jet-powered aircraft with a speed of Mach 9.7, nearly 12,100 kilometers per hour (7,500 mph). Whereas jet aircraft use the atmosphere both as a source of oxidant and of mass to accelerate reactively behind the aircraft, rocket aircraft carry the oxidizer on board and accelerate the burned fuel and oxidizer backwards as the sole source of mass for reaction. Liquid fuel and oxidizer may be pumped into
949-862: A large static aircraft display. Other promoters have run pylon racing events across the US and Canada, including races in Las Vegas, NV in 1965 , Lancaster, CA in 1965 and 1966, Mojave, California in 1970-71, and 1973–79; at Cape May, NJ in 1971, San Diego, CA in 1971, Miami, FL in 1973 and 1979, Moose Jaw , Saskatchewan in 1984; Hamilton Field, California , in 1988; at Dallas, TX in 1990, in Denver, CO in 1990 and 1992, in Kansas City in 1993, in Phoenix, Arizona in 1994 and 1995; and in Tunica, Mississippi in 2005. Numerous other venues across
1022-538: A presence in all the major battles of World War II . The first jet aircraft was the German Heinkel He 178 in 1939. The first jet airliner , the de Havilland Comet , was introduced in 1952. The Boeing 707 , the first widely successful commercial jet, was in commercial service for more than 60 years, from 1958 to 2019. First attested in English in the late 19th century (prior to the first sustained powered flight),
1095-416: A propeller creates is determined, in part, by its disk area—the area through which the blades rotate. The limitation on blade speed is the speed of sound ; as when the blade tip exceeds the speed of sound, shock waves decrease propeller efficiency. The rpm required to generate a given tip speed is inversely proportional to the diameter of the propeller. The upper design speed limit for propeller-driven aircraft
1168-477: A shaft through a reduction gearing to the propeller. The propelling nozzle provides a relatively small proportion of the thrust generated by a turboprop. An electric aircraft runs on electric motors with electricity coming from fuel cells , solar cells , ultracapacitors , power beaming , or batteries . Currently, flying electric aircraft are mostly experimental prototypes, including manned and unmanned aerial vehicles , but there are some production models on
1241-426: A single wing plane, a biplane has two stacked one above the other, a tandem wing has two placed one behind the other. When the available engine power increased during the 1920s and 30s and bracing was no longer needed, the unbraced or cantilever monoplane became the most common form of powered type. The wing planform is the shape when seen from above. To be aerodynamically efficient, a wing should be straight with
1314-435: A small and simple engine for high-speed use, such as with missiles. Ramjets require forward motion before they can generate thrust and so are often used in conjunction with other forms of propulsion, or with an external means of achieving sufficient speed. The Lockheed D-21 was a Mach 3+ ramjet-powered reconnaissance drone that was launched from a parent aircraft . A ramjet uses the vehicle's forward motion to force air through
1387-468: A span of 14 m (46 ft). All-up weight was 300 kilograms (660 lb). On 9 October 1890, Ader attempted to fly the Éole . Aviation historians give credit to this effort as a powered take-off and uncontrolled hop of approximately 50 m (160 ft) at a height of approximately 200 mm (7.9 in). Ader's two subsequent machines were not documented to have achieved flight. The American Wright brothers 's flights in 1903 are recognized by
1460-496: A specific type or design creates a competition that focuses on pilot skill. Air racing events such as the Reno air races, incorporate multiple classes or aircraft. These may be defined by the race organiser, or by a sanctioned group. Some air races are limited to a single class. Classes used at the Reno races are as follows: Airplane An airplane ( North American English ) or aeroplane ( British English ), informally plane ,
1533-733: A top secret, untested, 24-cylinder, 2,450 hp liquid-cooled Napier Sabre engine. Although originally proposed to the Air Ministry and receiving approval as primarily an engine programme, the Napier-Heston Racer was ultimately not officially sanctioned and had to proceed as a private venture with Lord Nuffield entirely underwriting the project. The first aircraft of two planned for the record attempt, registered G-AFOK (call sign Fox Oboe King ), had its maiden flight at Heston Aerodrome on 12 June 1940, piloted by Squadron Leader G.L.G. Richmond, Chief Test Pilot of Heston Aircraft. The takeoff
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#17328516444671606-461: A type of rotary aircraft engine, he did not create and fly a powered fixed-wing aircraft. The Frenchman Clement Ader constructed his first of three flying machines in 1886, the Éole . It was a bat-like design run by a lightweight steam engine of his own invention, with four cylinders developing 20 horsepower (15 kW ), driving a four-blade propeller . The engine weighed no more than 4 kilograms per kilowatt (6.6 lb/hp). The wings had
1679-486: Is Mach 0.6. Aircraft designed to go faster than that employ jet engines. Reciprocating engines in aircraft have three main variants, radial , in-line and flat or horizontally opposed engine . The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel and was commonly used for aircraft engines before gas turbine engines became predominant. An inline engine
1752-508: Is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine , propeller , or rocket engine . Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations . The broad spectrum of uses for airplanes includes recreation , transportation of goods and people, military , and research . Worldwide, commercial aviation transports more than four billion passengers annually on airliners and transports more than 200 billion tonne - kilometers of cargo annually, which
1825-421: Is a reciprocating engine with banks of cylinders, one behind another, rather than rows of cylinders, with each bank having any number of cylinders, but rarely more than six, and may be water-cooled. A flat engine is an internal combustion engine with horizontally-opposed cylinders. A turboprop gas turbine engine consists of an intake, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle, which provide power from
1898-420: Is less than 1% of the world's cargo movement. Most airplanes are flown by a pilot on board the aircraft, but some are designed to be remotely or computer-controlled such as drones. The Wright brothers invented and flew the first airplane in 1903, recognized as "the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight". They built on the works of George Cayley dating from 1799, when he set forth
1971-420: Is responsible for the radar. The production of such parts is not limited to the same city or country; in the case of large plane manufacturing companies, such parts can come from all over the world. The parts are sent to the main plant of the plane company, where the production line is located. In the case of large planes, production lines dedicated to the assembly of certain parts of the plane can exist, especially
2044-557: The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the standard-setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics , as "the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight". By 1905, the Wright Flyer III was capable of fully controllable, stable flight for substantial periods. The Wright brothers credited Otto Lilienthal as a major inspiration for their decision to pursue manned flight. In 1906,
2117-679: The Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race , and the Aerial Derby . In 1913 , the first Schneider Trophy seaplane race was held. When the competition was resumed after the war, it was significant in advancing aeroplane design , particularly in the fields of aerodynamics and engine design, and would show its results in the best fighters of World War II. On 19 October 1919 , the Army Transcontinental Air Race began along
2190-650: The Women's Air Derby , nicknamed the 'Powder Puff Derby', became a part of the National Air Races circuit. The National Air Races lasted until 1949 . The Cleveland Air Races was another important event. In 1947 , an All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race, also dubbed the Powder Puff Derby was established, running until 1977 . In 1934 , the MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia took place, with
2263-451: The 11th-century English monk Eilmer of Malmesbury ; both experiments injured their pilots. Leonardo da Vinci researched the wing design of birds and designed a man-powered aircraft in his Codex on the Flight of Birds (1502), noting for the first time the distinction between the center of mass and the center of pressure of flying birds. In 1799, George Cayley set forth the concept of
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2336-602: The 1920s and 30s, wings could be made heavy and strong enough that bracing was not needed any more. This type of unbraced wing is called a cantilever wing. The number and shape of the wings varies widely on different types. A given wing plane may be full-span or divided by a central fuselage into port (left) and starboard (right) wings. Occasionally, even more wings have been used, with the three-winged triplane achieving some fame in WWI. The four-winged quadruplane and other multiplane designs have had little success. A monoplane has
2409-458: The 1960s and pioneered engineering concepts for later aircraft and spacecraft. Military transport aircraft may employ rocket-assisted take offs for short-field situations. Otherwise, rocket aircraft include spaceplanes , like SpaceShipTwo , for travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere and sport aircraft developed for the short-lived Rocket Racing League . Most airplanes are constructed by companies with
2482-715: The Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont made what was claimed to be the first airplane flight unassisted by catapult and set the first world record recognized by the Aéro-Club de France by flying 220 meters (720 ft) in less than 22 seconds. This flight was also certified by the FAI. An early aircraft design that brought together the modern monoplane tractor configuration was the Blériot VIII design of 1908. It had movable tail surfaces controlling both yaw and pitch,
2555-617: The Concorde to remove it from service. An aircraft propeller , or airscrew , converts rotary motion from an engine or other power source, into a swirling slipstream which pushes the propeller forwards or backwards. It comprises a rotating power-driven hub, to which are attached two or more radial airfoil -section blades such that the whole assembly rotates about a longitudinal axis. Three types of aviation engines used to power propellers include reciprocating engines (or piston engines), gas turbines , and electric motors . The amount of thrust
2628-647: The Napier-Heston Racer was led by Arthur Ernest Hagg from D. Napier & Son and George Cornwall from Heston Aircraft Company This aircraft was a single-engined, low-wing cantilever monoplane built specifically to compete for the World Speed Record . It was constructed primarily using wood, which allowed for quick construction and a sleek, streamlined appearance. The multi-ducted belly scoop, clear perspex canopy, and hand-rubbed lacquer finish further enhanced its aerodynamic design. Additionally, Saunders-Roe provided wing spars made of "compregnated wood,"
2701-718: The Red Bull Air Race World Championship. Aero GP has multiple aircraft racing together pik around pylons, and is based in Europe where it has held an air race each year since 2005 . In June of 2005 against all odds and extreme pressure from the Reno Air Race Association not to start another race, entrepreneur Jeff Landers, a Memphis native, organized the Tunica Air Races in Tunica, Mississippi with Unlimited, T-6, and Sport classes represented. After
2774-591: The Russian Alexander F. Mozhaisky also made some innovative designs. In 1883, the American John J. Montgomery made a controlled flight in a glider. Other aviators who made similar flights at that time were Otto Lilienthal , Percy Pilcher , and Octave Chanute . Sir Hiram Maxim built a craft that weighed 3.5 tons, with a 110-foot (34 m) wingspan that was powered by two 360-horsepower (270 kW) steam engines driving two propellers. In 1894, his machine
2847-514: The United States, Canada, and Mexico have also hosted events featuring the smaller Formula One and Biplane classes. In 1970 , American Formula One racing was exported to Europe (Great Britain, and then to France), where almost as many races have been held as in the U.S.A. Also in 1970, the California 1000 Air Race started at the Mojave Airport with a 66 lap unlimited air race that featured
2920-485: The air entering the engine must be decelerated to a subsonic speed and then re-accelerated back to supersonic speeds after combustion. An afterburner may be used on combat aircraft to increase power for short periods of time by injecting fuel directly into the hot exhaust gases. Many jet aircraft also use thrust reversers to slow down after landing. A ramjet is a form of jet engine that contains no major moving parts and can be particularly useful in applications requiring
2993-572: The audience can see the pilots up close as they carry out spectacular manoeuvres swooping close to the ground-pylons during the race. In November 2021, the first remotely-piloted eVTOL drag race between two Airspeeder craft took place. In 2022 , The remotely-piloted racing series (Airspeeder EXA Series) began in 2022 with Zephatali Walsh named as the inaugural season champion. The aircraft, built by Alauda Aeronautics, use electric vertical take-off and landing ( eVTOL ) technology and are designed to be crewed by human pilots. Restricting aircraft to
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3066-437: The behavior of the aircraft. Computers are used by companies to draw, plan and do initial simulations of the aircraft. Small models and mockups of all or certain parts of the plane are then tested in wind tunnels to verify its aerodynamics. When the design has passed through these processes, the company constructs a limited number of prototypes for testing on the ground. Representatives from an aviation governing agency often make
3139-894: The case of international sales, a license from the public agency of aviation or transport of the country where the aircraft is to be used is also necessary. For example, airplanes made by the European company, Airbus , need to be certified by the FAA to be flown in the United States, and airplanes made by U.S.-based Boeing need to be approved by the EASA to be flown in the European Union. Regulations have resulted in reduced noise from aircraft engines in response to increased noise pollution from growth in air traffic over urban areas near airports. Small planes can be designed and constructed by amateurs as homebuilts. Other homebuilt aircraft can be assembled using pre-manufactured kits of parts that can be assembled into
3212-426: The combustion air, prior to the introduction and ignition of fuel. Rocket motors provide thrust by burning a fuel with an oxidizer and expelling gas through a nozzle. Most jet aircraft use turbofan jet engines, which employ a gas turbine to drive a ducted fan, which accelerates air around the turbine to provide thrust in addition to that which is accelerated through the turbine. The ratio of air passing around
3285-479: The concept of the modern airplane (and later built and flew models and successful passenger-carrying gliders ) and the work of German pioneer of human aviation Otto Lilienthal , who, between 1867 and 1896, also studied heavier-than-air flight. Lilienthal's flight attempts in 1891 are seen as the beginning of human flight. Following its limited use in World War I , aircraft technology continued to develop. Airplanes had
3358-507: The concept of the modern wing, his flight attempts in 1891 are seen as the beginning of human flight, the " Lilienthal Normalsegelapparat " is considered to be the first airplane in series production and his work heavily inspired the Wright brothers. In the 1890s, Lawrence Hargrave conducted research on wing structures and developed a box kite that lifted the weight of a man. His box kite designs were widely adopted. Although he also developed
3431-541: The destruction of the first prototype, the Napier-Heston programme was discontinued despite 80% completion of the second aircraft, G-AFOL, the No. 2 (as it was commonly known). Data from "Heston Aircraft" British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Vol. 3 General characteristics Performance Air racing Air racing is a type of motorsport that involves airplanes or other types of aircraft that compete over
3504-479: The end of WWII all-metal aircraft were common. In modern times, increasing use of composite materials has been made. Typical structural parts include: The wings of a fixed-wing aircraft are static planes extending either side of the aircraft. When the aircraft travels forwards, air flows over the wings, which are shaped to create lift. This shape is called an airfoil and is shaped like a bird's wing. Airplanes have flexible wing surfaces which are stretched across
3577-527: The enemy. The earliest known aerial victory with a synchronized machine gun-armed fighter aircraft occurred in 1915, by German Luftstreitkräfte Leutnant Kurt Wintgens . Fighter aces appeared; the greatest (by number of Aerial Combat victories) was Manfred von Richthofen , also known as the Red Baron. Following WWI, aircraft technology continued to develop. Alcock and Brown crossed the Atlantic non-stop for
3650-426: The engine without resorting to turbines or vanes. Fuel is added and ignited, which heats and expands the air to provide thrust. A scramjet is a specialized ramjet that uses internal supersonic airflow to compress, combine with fuel, combust and accelerate the exhaust to provide thrust. The engine operates at supersonic speeds only. The NASA X-43 , an experimental unmanned scramjet, set a world speed record in 2004 for
3723-609: The first time in 1919. The first international commercial flights took place between the United States and Canada in 1919. Airplanes had a presence in all the major battles of World War II . They were an essential component of the military strategies of the period, such as the German Blitzkrieg , The Battle of Britain , and the American and Japanese aircraft carrier campaigns of the Pacific War . The first practical jet aircraft
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#17328516444673796-399: The leading (front) to the trailing (rear) edge. Early airplane engines had little power, and lightness was very important. Also, early airfoil sections were very thin, and could not have a strong frame installed within. So, until the 1930s, most wings were too lightweight to have enough strength, and external bracing struts and wires were added. When the available engine power increased during
3869-422: The manufacturer or the customer. The structural parts of a fixed-wing aircraft are called the airframe. The parts present can vary according to the aircraft's type and purpose. Early types were usually made of wood with fabric wing surfaces, When engines became available for powered flight around a hundred years ago, their mounts were made of metal. Then as speeds increased more and more parts became metal until by
3942-440: The market. Jet aircraft are propelled by jet engines , which are used because the aerodynamic limitations of propellers do not apply to jet propulsion. These engines are much more powerful than a reciprocating engine for a given size or weight and are comparatively quiet and work well at higher altitude. Variants of the jet engine include the ramjet and the scramjet , which rely on high airspeed and intake geometry to compress
4015-406: The modern airplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion, and control. Cayley was building and flying models of fixed-wing aircraft as early as 1803, and he built a successful passenger-carrying glider in 1853. In 1856, Frenchman Jean-Marie Le Bris made the first powered flight, by having his glider "L'Albatros artificiel" pulled by a horse on a beach. Then
4088-405: The objective of producing them in quantity for customers. The design and planning process, including safety tests, can last up to four years for small turboprops or longer for larger planes. During this process, the objectives and design specifications of the aircraft are established. First the construction company uses drawings and equations, simulations, wind tunnel tests and experience to predict
4161-578: The public agency in charge and authorizing the mass production of aircraft is Transport Canada's Civil Aviation Authority. When a part or component needs to be joined together by welding for virtually any aerospace or defense application, it must meet the most stringent and specific safety regulations and standards. Nadcap , or the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program sets global requirements for quality, quality management and quality assurance for aerospace engineering. In
4234-442: The stick was near the neutral position. This precise handling was crucial for low-level and high-speed flight, as the aircraft had to fly the 9,800 ft (3 km) airspeed record course at an altitude of less than 100 ft (30 m). As the control column was moved towards its ends, the ratio increased, enabling the full range of elevator travel to be utilized. The aircraft's design parameters were purposely designed around
4307-722: The successful and safe race in 2005 RARA fought any and all efforts for the growth of this motorsport and any effort for a 2006 race there and one in Tucson Arizona. Powered paragliding or paramotor races have been organised by the Parabatix Sky Racers made up of the world's top paramotor pilots. The first occurring on 4 September 2010 in an airfield in Montauban , Southern France. These are foot-launched ram-air wings powered by small two-stroke engines , and allow for much smaller race venues such as city parks or beaches, where
4380-601: The term "airplane" is used for powered fixed-wing aircraft. In the United Kingdom and Ireland and most of the Commonwealth , the term "aeroplane" ( / ˈ ɛər ə p l eɪ n / ) is usually applied to these aircraft. Many stories from antiquity involve flight, such as the Greek legend of Icarus and Daedalus , and the Vimana in ancient Indian epics . Around 400 BC in Greece , Archytas
4453-408: The turbine to that passing through is called the by-pass ratio . They represent a compromise between turbojet (with no bypass) and turboprop forms of aircraft propulsion (primarily powered with bypass air). Subsonic aircraft, such as airliners, employ high by-pass jet engines for fuel efficiency. Supersonic aircraft , such as jet fighters, use low-bypass turbofans. However at supersonic speeds,
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#17328516444674526-408: The wings and the fuselage. When complete, a plane is rigorously inspected to search for imperfections and defects. After approval by inspectors, the plane is put through a series of flight tests to assure that all systems are working correctly and that the plane handles properly. To meet a particular customer need, the airplane may be customised using components or packages of components provided by
4599-840: The winning de Havilland Comet flown by C. W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black . In 1964 , Bill Stead , a Nevada rancher, pilot, and unlimited hydroplane racing champion, organised the first Reno Air Races at a small dirt strip called the Sky Ranch, located between Sparks, Nevada , and Pyramid Lake . The National Championship Air Races were soon moved to the Reno Stead Airport , and have been held there every September since 1966 . The five-day event attracts around 200,000 people, and includes racing around courses marked out by pylons for six classes of aircraft: Unlimited, Formula One , Sport Biplane, AT-6, Sport, and Jet. It also features civil airshow acts, military flight demonstrations, and
4672-477: The word airplane , like aeroplane , derives from the French aéroplane , which comes from the Greek ἀήρ ( aēr ), "air" and either Latin planus , "level", or Greek πλάνος ( planos ), "wandering". " Aéroplane " originally referred just to the wing, as it is a plane moving through the air. In an example of synecdoche , the word for the wing came to refer to the entire aircraft. In the United States and Canada,
4745-479: Was being scalded by steam from the radiator mounted below the cockpit, and in haste to carry out a forced landing, inadvertently stalled the aircraft at approximately 30 ft above the airfield. Other sources state that the coolant leak only occurred after impact. The aircraft impacted heavily, with the undercarriage driven through the wings, and the tail broken off. Richmond survived with minor injuries, chiefly burns. Napier had ordered two examples in 1938, but with
4818-467: Was not unexpected, as the rules specified that whoever travelled furthest would be the winner if no-one completed the race. Léon Delagrange , who covered slightly more than half of the ten 1.2- kilometre (0.75 mi ; 0.65 nmi ) laps was declared the winner. Some other minor events were held before the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne in 22–29 August 1909 at Reims, France . This
4891-502: Was not without drama and a heavy bump during the high speed run in takeoff configuration (with the constricted canopy removed for the test flight), launched the Racer prematurely into the air. Recovering from the abrupt takeoff, Richmond carried out a preliminary test flight with gear extended throughout but after only five minutes airborne, while encountering inadequate elevator control, the engine overheated. According to some accounts, Richmond
4964-409: Was reputed to have designed and built the first artificial, self-propelled flying device, a bird-shaped model propelled by a jet of what was probably steam, said to have flown some 200 m (660 ft). This machine may have been suspended for its flight. Some of the earliest recorded attempts with gliders were those by the 9th-century Andalusian and Arabic-language poet Abbas ibn Firnas and
5037-519: Was tested with overhead rails to prevent it from rising. The test showed that it had enough lift to take off. The craft was uncontrollable and it is presumed that Maxim realized this because he subsequently abandoned work on it. Between 1867 and 1896, the German pioneer of human aviation Otto Lilienthal developed heavier-than-air flight. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. Lilienthal's work led to him developing
5110-487: Was the 1910 Los Angeles International Air Meet at Dominguez Field , just south of Los Angeles, from 10 to 20 January 1910 . The event was organised by pilots A. Roy Knabenshue and Charles Willard, who raised funding from railroad magnate Henry Huntington , and the Los Angeles Merchants and Manufacturers Association. William Randolph Hearst carried coverage of the event in his Los Angeles Examiner , and hired
5183-526: Was the German Heinkel He 178 , which was tested in 1939. In 1943, the Messerschmitt Me 262 , the first operational jet fighter aircraft, went into service in the German Luftwaffe . The first jet airliner , the de Havilland Comet , was introduced in 1952. The Boeing 707 , the first widely successful commercial jet, was in commercial service for more than 50 years, from 1958 to 2010. The Boeing 747
5256-454: Was the first major international flying event, drawing the most important aircraft makers and pilots of the era, as well as celebrities and royalty. The premier event — the first Gordon Bennett Trophy competition — was won by Glenn Curtiss , who beat second-place finisher Louis Blériot by five seconds. Curtiss was named 'Champion Air Racer of the World'. The first air race in the United States
5329-518: Was the world's biggest passenger aircraft from 1970 until it was surpassed by the Airbus A380 in 2005. Supersonic airliner flights , including those of the Concorde , have been limited to over-water flight at supersonic speed because of their sonic boom , which is prohibited over most populated land areas. The high cost of operation per passenger-mile and a deadly crash in 2000 induced the operators of
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