1. Ryan Catania

2. Before I talk a lot about planes you should know how they work. A plane relies on
its wings for flight. The top of a conventional wing is a teardrop shape which is the
most aerodynamic shape according to scientists. The bottom is flat which is less
aerodynamic than the top. Since the air passes the bottom less quickly than it is able
to pass the top that creates more pressure on the bottom generating lift to push the
airplane up. For the air to do this it has to go fast enough for enough air to pass the
wings at a high speed. wing

3. The first successful powered airplane airplane was created by Wilbur
and Orville Wright in 1903 with a gasoline powered engine. Before this it is
thought Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to come up with the idea of flight in
the late 1400s. Before the wright brothers there were balloons and gliders.
The Wright brothers plane was named The Wright Flyer. It started the idea
that planes could be used for longer range transportation.
The Wright Flyer

4. After the Wright brothers aircraft development was literally
propelled forward. In less than two decades airplanes were
capable of combat, in world war one it was the first war airplanes
had been used in. Like the Wright Flyer most were biplanes.
Aircraft became vital for reconnaissance, bombing, and attacking
other planes which is known as dogfighting. This was the
beginning of aircraft being used by countries. Soon they would be
used for commercial and were going to become the most common
means of long range travel.

5. The first time commercial flights became popular was in the 1920’s.
Before that there had been planes carrying cargo and occasionally
passengers but when commercial planes became more practical was in the
20’s. Now when we think of commercial planes we thing of huge boing jets,
however early commercial planes were usually single engine propeller planes
that could carry less than ten people. An example would be the French
Bleriot-SPAD below.

6. Gliders were actually the fist kind of aircraft. They are also the most
simple which explains why they were built first. Although the first gliders
were more like hang gliders than the planes that are gliders today and
used to have to be launched off cliffs or steep hills.

7. All sea planes must take off and land in a large body of water. They
are not as aerodynamic as other planes because of the floats they use to
stay afloat in the water. Almost all seaplanes use propellers to fly.

8. Once planes became practical and with stronger designs people could
use them to fly into places that used to be only accessible by foot or
boats. People could fly into dense jungles or arctic landscapes. These
flights were made by what are called aerial pioneers who established
routes of flight.

9. Once World War Two broke out planes played a large part for both sides.
The planes now were more advanced but still limited to propellers witch
were the only way to propel planes. Now they were used to bomb, drop
paratroopers, and aerial reconnaissance. Planes were more developed and
there were larger aircraft used.

10. The least known kind of planes were rocket planes. While The first
rocket plane was built in 1928. What we today would consider a rocket
plane came much later. The thing that made them stand out was they did
not need any air for their engines to work like jet and propeller planes do.

11. After World War Two a new faster, more powerful kind of plane was built. They were
jet planes. At the time they were not really used for commercial purposes. The first
practical jet powered plane was The German HE 178. Jet planes would eventually
become standard for long distance passenger flight and for many militaries.

12. By the late twentieth century the use of airplanes was a popular way of
transportation and with jet planes becoming larger and faster the industry was
growing fast. Now the practical way to get to far away places is by planes.

13. Now militaries use primarily jet planes and are made to be
faster, stronger, and advanced with more electronic autopilots and
navigation. Today militaries have jets that can go at supersonic speeds.
Some can even evade radar and carry smaller planes.

14. Most major international airlines use giant quad jet engine planes that can carry
usually over a hundred people. Small airports still use small propeller planes but they are
much different than the old planes that were used so many years ago. Now jet planes
have electronic flight computers, navigation, autopilot, and new parts for slowing and
controlling the aircraft.

15. Planes have come from the Wright brothers first powered plane in 1903 to the modern jet
airliner. They have changed a lot in the past one hundred and ten year that they have been
around and engineers are making new models right now. They are the new way of long
distance transportation and have become one of the most important/useful inventions built
yet.