Today is National Aviation Day, observed in the United States and celebrates the development of aviation.
National Aviation Day ( N.A.D. ) was first established in 1939 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. He issued a presidential proclamation honoring the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday to be N.A.D. The proclamation designated ( USC36:I:A:1:118 ) and allows the sitting president to proclaim August 19 as N.A.D. every year if so desired. The proclamation may direct all federal buildings and installations to fly the US Flag that day and to encourage citizens to observe the day with activities that promote aviation.
For centuries. humans have been fascinated with flight. In China, they flew kites to observe weather. Leonardo da Vinci developed many ideas associated with the thought of flight. Gliders and balloons took humans to the skies, but nothing gave then the control of where they flew. The physics of propulsion and flight would play key roles later in who would become pioneers. George Cayley used aerodynamics while designing a fixed wing aircraft. Those designs would later be an inspiration to the brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright. With propulsion being a primary requirement to get a human off the ground. Samuel Langley would design the first power model in 1891, a steam powered model called an aerodrome. It flew for 3,960 feet after which he was giving a grant to build a full size aerodrome. His first test crashed and he never made another attempt.
In a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright eagerly began testing their idea of flight. They studied Octave Chanute's 1894 Progress in flying machines. Orville and Wilbur began testing their ideas, first with gliders and then sought to add an engine. A machinist by the name of Charles Edward Taylor would join the team in 1902 and would later design a 12 horsepower engine. He completed the design and manufacture of the engine. It took a total of 6 weeks and it was finally completed in September 1903.
In December of that same year at a place called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, a flip of the coin would decide who would pilot first. Wilbur climbed aboard with the first attempt failing only flying a total of 3.5 seconds. The next attempt would on December 17, 1903, Orville took the controls and after launching, flew 120 feet. Man had flown under power and control for the first time in history.
Since that day, aviation exploded with applications becoming apparent to the military. Orville and Wilbur soon become consultants with the Army for several years after their success. Now that humans could fly, the challenges were set from flying across the ocean, around the world and into space.
Today is National Aviation Day, observed in the United States and celebrates the development of aviation.
National Aviation Day ( N.A.D. ) was first established in 1939 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. He issued a presidential proclamation honoring the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday to be N.A.D. The proclamation designated ( USC36:I:A:1:118 ) and allows the sitting president to proclaim August 19 as N.A.D. every year if so desired. The proclamation may direct all federal buildings and installations to fly the US Flag that day and to encourage citizens to observe the day with activities that promote aviation.
For centuries. humans have been fascinated with flight. In China, they flew kites to observe weather. Leonardo da Vinci developed many ideas associated with the thought of flight. Gliders and balloons took humans to the skies, but nothing gave then the control of where they flew. The physics of propulsion and flight would play key roles later in who would become pioneers. George Cayley used aerodynamics while designing a fixed wing aircraft. Those designs would later be an inspiration to the brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright. With propulsion being a primary requirement to get a human off the ground. Samuel Langley would design the first power model in 1891, a steam powered model called an aerodrome. It flew for 3,960 feet after which he was giving a grant to build a full size aerodrome. His first test crashed and he never made another attempt.
In a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright eagerly began testing their idea of flight. They studied Octave Chanute's 1894 Progress in flying machines. Orville and Wilbur began testing their ideas, first with gliders and then sought to add an engine. A machinist by the name of Charles Edward Taylor would join the team in 1902 and would later design a 12 horsepower engine. He completed the design and manufacture of the engine. It took a total of 6 weeks and it was finally completed in September 1903.
In December of that same year at a place called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, a flip of the coin would decide who would pilot first. Wilbur climbed aboard with the first attempt failing only flying a total of 3.5 seconds. The next attempt would on December 17, 1903, Orville took the controls and after launching, flew 120 feet. Man had flown under power and control for the first time in history.
Since that day, aviation exploded with applications becoming apparent to the military. Orville and Wilbur soon become consultants with the Army for several years after their success. Now that humans could fly, the challenges were set from flying across the ocean, around the world and into space.