Introduction to Flying

History of Flight billowing heap of cloth capable of no more than a one-way, downwind journey. From prehistoric times, humans have watched the flight of birds, and longed to imitate them, but lacked the power to do Balloons solved the problem of lift, but that was only one of so. Logic dictated that if the small muscles of birds can lift the problems of human flight. The ability to control speed and them into the air and sustain them, then the larger muscles direction eluded balloonists. The solution to that problem lay of humans should be able to duplicate the feat. No one knew in a child’s toy familiar to the East for 2,000 years, but not about the intricate mesh of muscles, sinew, heart, breathing introduced to the West until the 13th century—the kite. The system, and devices not unlike wing flaps, variable-camber kites used by the Chinese for aerial observation, to test winds and spoilers of the modern airplane that enabled a bird to for sailing, as a signaling device, and as a toy, held many of fly. Still, thousands of years and countless lives were lost in the answers to lifting a heavier-than-air device into the air. attempts to fly like birds. One of the men who believed the study of kites unlocked The identity of the first “bird-men” who fitted themselves the secrets of winged flight was Sir George Cayley. Born with wings and leapt off of cliffs in an effort to fly are lost in in England 10 years before the Mongolfier balloon flight, time, but each failure gave those who wished to fly questions Cayley spent his 84 years seeking to develop a heavier-than- that needed to be answered. Where had the wing flappers air vehicle supported by kite-shaped wings. [Figure 1-2] The gone wrong? Philosophers, scientists, and inventors offered “Father of Aerial Navigation,” Cayley discovered the basic solutions, but no one could add wings to the human body principles on which the modern science of aeronautics is and soar like a bird. During the 1500s, Leonardo da Vinci founded; built what is recognized as the first successful flying filled pages of his notebooks with sketches of proposed model; and tested the first full-size man-carrying airplane. flying machines, but most of his ideas were flawed because he clung to the idea of birdlike wings. [Figure 1-1] By 1655, mathematician, physicist, and inventor Robert Hooke concluded that the human body does not possess the strength to power artificial wings. He believed human flight would require some form of artificial propulsion. The quest for human flight led some practitioners in another direction. In 1783, the first manned hot air balloon, crafted by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, flew for 23 minutes. Ten days later, Professor Jacques Charles flew the first gas balloon. A madness for balloon flight captivated the public’s imagination and for a time flying enthusiasts turned their expertise to the promise of lighter-than-air flight. But for all its majesty in the air, the balloon was little more than a Figure 1-2. Glider from 1852 by Sir George Cayley, British aviator Figure 1-1. Leonardo da Vinci’s ornithopter wings. (1773–1857). 1-2