There are conflicting views as to what was the first flying machine.

This kind of controversy invention is not limited to flight. For example, debates over the tallest building tend to break into debates around what constitutes a building and what is the most important measure of such structures' height. In the same way some records of flying machines can come down to the exact definition of what, for example, constitutes a "flying machine", or "flight", or even "first". For many millennia the record holder for worlds tallest structure was clearly defined (see table below. ...

Claims to first piloted flight by date

Pre-19th century

• Anonymous, Chang'an, China, according to fifth-century records the first human in the air, using feathery wings — 19 ^[1]
• Zhuge Liang, China, traditionally credited with invention of the Kongming lantern, which was the first hot air balloon, though not suitable for human transportation. — 2-3rd century.
• Yuan Huangtou, Ye, China, first manned kite glide to take off from a tower — 559 ^[2]
• Abbas Ibn Firnas (aka Armen Firman), al-Andalus, first parachute flight — 852
• Abbas Ibn Firnas, (aka Armen Firman), al-Andalus, first hang glider with artificial wings and flight controls — 875 ^[3][4]
• Eilmer of Malmesbury, England, a monk who flew a glider from an Abbey in the early 11th century
• Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi, Istanbul, Turkey, first successful glider flight with artificial wings — 1630-1632 ^[5]
• Lagari Hasan Çelebi, Turkey, first manned rocket aircraft — 1633
• Pilâtre de Rozier, Paris, France, first trip by a human in a free-flying balloon (the Montgolfière). 9 km covered in 25 minutes. October 15, 1783

For other uses, see Changan (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see number 19. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Zhuge (諸葛) Zhuge Liang (181 - 234) was one of the greatest Chinese strategists of the Three Kingdoms period, as well as a statesman, engineer, scholar, and inventor. ... The Kongming lantern (Chinese:zh:孔明灯) was the first hot air balloon, said to be invented by Zhuge Liang in popular lore, whose reverent term of address (his Chinese style name) was Kongming. ... This article is about hot air balloons themselves. ... Yuan Huangtou(chinese:zh:元黄头) was the son of emperor Yuan Lang of Eastern Wei. ... Ye was a city in ancient China. ... For other uses, see Kite (disambiguation). ... Events The Bulgars invade and raid Byzantine territory, but are driven back near Constantinople by Belisarius. ... Abbas Ibn Firnas, or Abbas Qasim Ibn Firnas (Unknown- 887 A.D.) was a Spanish-Arab humanitarian, technologist, and chemist. ... Armen Firman was a Moor remembered for an attempt at flight in 852 AD. He wrapped himself in a loose cloak stiffened with wooden struts and jumped from a tower in Córdoba, Spain, intending to use the garment as wings on which he could glide. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ... This article is about the device. ... Events Boris I Michael succeeds the duumvirate of Malamir and Presian as monarch of Bulgaria. ... Abbas Ibn Firnas, or Abbas Qasim Ibn Firnas (Unknown- 887 A.D.) was a Spanish-Arab humanitarian, technologist, and chemist. ... Armen Firman was a Moor remembered for an attempt at flight in 852 AD. He wrapped himself in a loose cloak stiffened with wooden struts and jumped from a tower in Córdoba, Spain, intending to use the garment as wings on which he could glide. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ... For other uses, see Glider (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Wing (disambiguation). ... Aircraft flight controls allow a pilot to adjust and control the aircrafts flight attitude. ... Events December 29 - Charles the Bald, king of west Danes capture Lindisfarne and arrive in Cambridge. ... Stained glass window showing Eilmer, installed in Malmesbury Abbey in 1920 in memory of Rev. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi (Turkish: Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi), who lived in the 17th century in Istanbul in the Ottoman Empire, is one of the first aviators to have succeeded in flying with artificial wings. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... For other uses, see Wing (disambiguation). ... Lagari Hasan Çelebi is considered the first person to have flown. ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... Events February 13 - Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. ... Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Jacques Étienne Montgolfier For other uses, see Montgolfier brothers (disambiguation). ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

19th century

• Hans Andreas Navrestad, Norway — 1825 allegedly flew manned glider
• John Stringfellow, England — 1848 first heavier than air powered flight (unmanned)
• George Cayley, England —

  First Western human glide 1853. Cayley also made the first scientific studies into the aerodynamic forces which would affect a flying machine, and produced early designs incorporating a fuselage, wings, stabilizing tail and control surfaces. He is considered the "Father" of modern aviation, and all later aircraft depended on his research.

• Jean-Marie Le Bris, France, flight in 1856

  Jean-Marie Le Bris was the first to fly higher than his point of departure, by having his glider pulled by a horse on a beach, against the wind.

• Jan Wnek, Poland — controlled flights 1866 - 1869.

  Jan Wnek controlled his glider by twisting the wing's trailing edge via strings attached to stirrups at his feet.[1] Church records only -- Karkow Museum unwilling to allow verification.

• Goodman Household, South Africa, 1871

  A young Zulu, Goodman built and flew his own glider over one hundred meters. The story is that he crashed breaking both glider and a leg. The event took place in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands near Curry's Post in 1871 and is recorded variously in legend and local literature.

• Félix du Temple de la Croix, France, 1874.
  

  First take-off ever of a manned and powered aircraft, from a downsloped ramp, resulting in a brief hop a few feet above the ground.

• John Joseph Montgomery, United States of America 1883

  First controlled glider flight in the United States from a hillside near Otay, California.

• Alexander Feodorovich Mozhaiski, Russian Empire — 1884

  First powered hop by a manned multi-engine (steam) fixed-wing aircraft, 60-100 feet (20-30 meters), from a downsloped ramp.

• Clement Ader, France — October 9, 1890

  He reportedly made the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight of a significant distance (50 meters) but insignificant altitude from level ground in his bat-winged monoplane, the Éole. The event was not publicized until many years later, as it had been a military secret. According to other reports, the French military said he also flew 300 metres in 1897 in a different machine, the Avion III. The events were poorly documented, the aeroplane not well controlled, all flights ended in crashes, and there was no further development. The Wrights later blamed Ader's failures for their difficulty in convincing the French military that they had succeeded.

• Otto Lilienthal, Germany — 1891

  The German "Glider King" was a pioneer of human aviation—the first person to make controlled untethered glides repeatedly and the first to be photographed flying a heavier than air machine. He made about 2,000 glides until his death August 10, 1896 from injuries in a glider crash the day before.

• Hiram Stevens Maxim, United Kingdom — 1894

  The American inventor of the machine gun built a very large flying machine that ran on a track and was propelled by powerful twin steam engines. Machine lifted from the track and was restrained by a safety mechanism; it fell back and crashed.

• Samuel Pierpont Langley, United States — May 6, 1896

  First sustained flight by a heavier-than-air powered, unmanned aircraft: the Number 5 model, driven by a miniature steam engine, flew half a mile in 90 seconds over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. In November the Number 6 flew more than 5 thousand feet. Langley's full-size manned powered Aerodrome failed twice in October and December 1903.

• Octave Chanute, United States — Summer 1896

  Designer of first rectangular wing strut-braced biplane (originally tri-plane) hang glider, a configuration that strongly influenced the Wright brothers. Flown successfully at the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan, U.S. by his proteges, including Augustus Herring, for distances exceeding 100 feet.

• Carl Rickard Nyberg, Sweden — 1897

  Managed a few short jumps in his Flugan, a steam powered, manned aircraft

• Percy Pilcher, United Kingdom —

  Pioneer British glider builder and pilot; protege of Lilienthal; killed in 1899 crash shortly before intended public test of powered machine.

• Augustus Moore Herring, United States — 1899

  Attached a compressed air motor to a biplane hang glider and flew about 70 feet.

(The force of the "motor" was only 3 kg. Did not influence the glider flight in any significant way)

Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... John Stringfellows flying machine in the Science Museum, London. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Sir George Cayley, 6th Baronet (December 27, 1773 – December 15, 1857) was a prolific English engineer from Brompton-by-Sawdon, near Scarborough in Yorkshire. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links LeBris1868. ... Le Bris and his flying machine, Albatros II, photographed by Nadar, 1868. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Wnęks Glider. ... Categories: Stub | 1828 births | 1869 deaths | Polish aviators | Polish inventors ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Félix du Temple de la Croix (1823–1890). ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links 1874DuTemple. ... John Joseph Montgomery (c. ... Year 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Otay Mesa is a rural community within southeast San Diego, California, just north of the U.S.–Mexico border. ... Alexander F. Mozhaiski, born March 9 (21), 1825, died March 20 (April 1) 1890, was a Russian naval officer, aviation pioneer, researcher and designer of heavier-than-air-craft. ... The subject of this article was previously also known as Russia. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links AderAvion3(1897). ... Photograph of Ader Cl ment Ader (February 4, 1841 - March 5, 1926) was a French engineer born in Muret, Haute Garonne remembered primarily for his pioneering work in aviation. ... is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links More_otho_flying. ... Otto Lilienthal Otto Lilienthal (23 May 1848 – 10 August 1896), the German Glider King, was a pioneer of human aviation. ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim, 1916 1895 . ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Samuel Pierpont Langley. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Octave Chanute Octave Chanute (18 February 1832 - November 23, 1910) was a French-born American railroad engineer and aviation pioneer. ... Carl Rickard Nyberg (May 28, 1858, Arboga - 1939) was the founder of Max Sieverts Lödlampfabrik, then one of the largest industries in Sundbyberg. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Photo from ca 1900. ... Percy Sinclair Pilcher (January 1866 — 2 October 1899) was a British inventor and pioneer aviator who, in one of the big what if events of history, could well have become the first person to achieve controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight well before the Wright brothers had he not been... Augustus Moore Herring (1865-1926) was an American aviation pioneer, who sometimes is claimed to be the first true aviator of a motorized heavier-than-air aircraft. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

20th century

• Dr Wilhelm Kress, Austria — 1901

  Tested tandem monoplane seaplane, similar to Samuel Langley, which made brief airborne hops but could not sustain itself.

• Gustave Whitehead, United States — August 14, 1901

  First publicized account of a flight by an aeroplane heavier than air propelled by its own motor. Reports were published in the New York Herald, and the Bridgeport (CT) Herald. The event was reportedly witnessed by several people, one of them a reporter for the Bridgeport Herald. Children and youngsters who were present signed affidavits about 30 years later about what they saw. Reports said he started on the wheels from a flat surface, flew 800 meters at 15 meter height, and landed softly on the wheels.

• Lyman Gilmore, United States — May 15, 1902

  Gilmore reportedly became the first person to fly a powered aircraft (a steam-powered glider). Several people saw him accomplish this. ^{[citation needed]}

• Orville & Wilbur Wright, United States — October 1902

  Completed development of the three-axis control system with the incorporation of a movable rudder connected to the wing warping control on their 1902 Glider. They subsequently made several fully controlled heavier than air gliding flights, including one of 622.5 ft (189.7 m) in 26 seconds. The 1902 glider was the basis for their patented control system still used on modern fixed-wing aircraft.

• Richard Pearse, New Zealand — March 31, 1903

  Reportedly first heavier-than-air powered flight in New Zealand. Several people witnessed Pearse make powered flights including one on this date of over 100 feet in a high-wing tricycle undercarriage monoplane powered by a 15hp air-cooled horizontally-opposed engine. Flight ended with a crash into a hedgerow.

• Karl Jatho, Germany — August 18, 1903

  On August 18, 1903 he flew with his self-made motored gliding aircraft. He had four witnesses for his flight. The plane was equipped with a single-cylinder 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) Buchet engine driving a two-bladed pusher propeller and made hops of up to 200 ft (60 m), flying up to 10 ft (3 m) high.

• Orville & Wilbur Wright, United States — December 17, 1903

  First controlled, powered, sustained heavier than air flight, in Wright Flyer. In the day's fourth flight, Wilbur Wright flew 279 meters (852 ft) in 59 seconds. First three flights were approximately 120, 175, and 200 ft, respectively. The Wrights laid particular stress on fully and accurately describing all the requirements for controlled, powered flight and put them into use in an aircraft which took off from a level launching rail, with the aid of a headwind to achieve sufficient airspeed before reaching the end of the rail.

• John Joseph Montgomery and Daniel Maloney, United States 1905

  First high altitude flights with Maloney as pilot of a Montgomery tandem-wing glider design. The glider was launched by balloon to heights up to 4,000 feet with Maloney controlling the aircraft through a series of prescribed maneuvers to a predetermined landing location in front of a large public gathering at Santa Clara, California.

• Wilbur Wright, United States — October 5, 1905

  Wilbur Wright pilots Wright Flyer III in a flight of 24 miles (39km) in 39 minutes, a world record that stood until 1908.

• Traian Vuia, Romania — March 18, 1906

  First flight by a fully self-propelled, fixed-wing aircraft using a tractor propeller. He flew for 12 meters without the aid of external takeoff mechanisms, such as rail or catapult, a point emphasized in newspaper reports in France, the U.S., and the UK. This was a proof for the fact that a "heavier than air" machine can takeoff and sustain a flight with no help from additional external devices. At that time, this fact was heavily contested by the Academy of Science in Paris, who refused to witness the flight, claiming it was trickery.

• Jacob Ellehammer, Denmark — September 12, 1906

  Built monoplane, which he tested with a tether on the Danish Lindholm island.

• Alberto Santos-Dumont, Brazil — October 23, 1906

  First officially-verified flight of a fixed-wing, manned, powered aircraft—the "14 Bis" at Bagatelle field, Paris. Aero Club of France certified the distance of 60 meters (197 ft); height was about 2-3 meters (6-10 ft). Winner of the Archdeacon Prize for first official flight of more than 25 meters. Described by some scholars as the first "sportsman of the air". As reported in previous years and months for Ader, Whitehead, Pearse, Jatho and Vuia, the 14-Bis flew and landed without a rail, catapult, or the presence of high winds, propelled by its own (internal combustion) engine.

Wilhelm Kress Wilhelm Kress (* July 29th 1836 in Saint Petersburg; † February 24th 1913 in Vienna) was a pioneer in aviations and constructor of airplanes. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Samuel Pierpont Langley (August 22, 1834 in Roxbury, Massachusetts near Boston, – February 27, 1906, Aiken, South Carolina) was an American astronomer, physicist, inventor, aeronautics pioneer and aircraft engineer. ... Gustave Albin Whitehead, born Gustav Albin Weißkopf (January 1, 1874 – October 10 1927 Gustave Whitehead with an early engine. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835 and 1924. ... Gilmores second, larger plane Drawing of the smaller first plane Gilmore Flying Field One of Gilmores inventions, an 8-cylinder radial engine Lyman Gilmore, (June 11, 1874 – February 18, 1951), was an aviation pioneer. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Airplane and Aeroplane redirect here. ... For other uses, see Steam (disambiguation). ... The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871–January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867–May 30, 1912), were two Americans generally credited with building the worlds first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and heavier-than-air human flight on December 17, 1903. ... For other uses, see October (disambiguation). ... Year 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Flight dynamics is the science of air and space vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. ... The Wright Glider was designed and built by the Wright Brothers. ... Airplane and Aeroplane redirect here. ... Richard Pearse Richard William Pearse (3 December 1877 — 29 July 1953), a New Zealand farmer and inventor, performed pioneering experiments in aviation. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Karl Jatho (February 3, 1873 - December 8, 1933) was a German pioneer and inventor, performer and public servant of the city of Hanover. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... A British WWI-era F.E.2b pusher. ... Download high resolution version (899x576, 106 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871–January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867–May 30, 1912), were two Americans generally credited with building the worlds first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and heavier-than-air human flight on December 17, 1903. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... The Wright Flyer (often retrospectively referred to as Flyer I and occasionally Kitty Hawk) was the first powered aircraft designed and built by the Wright brothers. ... John J. Montgomery and his Tandem-Wing Glider (1905). ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... Location of Santa Clara within Santa Clara County, California. ... Wilbur Wright (April 16, 1867 - May 30, 1912), the elder of the Wright brothers, seen as one of the fathers of heavier-than-air flight. ... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... Traian Vuia - aircraft File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Traian Vuias flying machine (March 18, 1906) Traian Vuia (August 17, 1872 - September 3, 1950) was a Romanian inventor, designed and built a self-propelling heavier-than-air aircraft. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... An aircraft constructed with a tractor configuration has the engine mounted with the propeller facing forwards such that the aircraft is pulled through the air, as opposed to the pusher configuration in which the propeller faces backwards and the aircraft is pushed through the air. ... Jacob Christian Hansen Ellehammer, born July 14, 1871, died 1946, was a Danish watchmaker and inventor, who on September 12, 1906 became one of the first Europeans to fly an airplane. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Download high resolution version (2675x1462, 1692 KB)photo of the 14 bis. ... This article is about the aviator. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... (Redirected from 14 Bis) Santos-Dumont in his trademark Panama hat. ...

Scope of the entire claim

The people attempting to create the first flying machine were faced with many separate challenges, which required diverse skills:

1. Develop theories on how flight works and invent a machine to fly. This requires the skills of a creative scientist.
2. Construct the machine. This requires the skills of an engineer.
3. Fly the machine. This requires a pilot, which — before flight is achieved — has to be someone intrepid, athletic and a quick learner — the skills of an explorer.
4. Trial and error. This requires someone with a lot of time and resources — an investor.
5. Recognition. This requires the skills of an marketeer.

Many of the people that attempted to create the first flying machine succeeded only in some of these challenges. Since all the challenges were difficult, these are notable achievements, rightfully touted in their respective cultures. But emphasizing one set of challenges or another leads to different claims to the title of "first flying machine". This article is about the profession. ... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This list of explorers is sorted by surname. ... An investor is any party that makes an investment. ... A marketeer or marketer is someone whose job it is to present a good or service to the market in an attractive way so that others will be tempted to buy it. ...

The earliest attempts focused on the first challenges; they couldn't make much progress on the central challenges before the Industrial Revolution. Even then, most attempts borrowed from others' earlier work and still left work for others to finish. The next to last step, trial and error, can take years, and ideas can go back and forth between different groups, consciously or not. A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...

It can be hard to determine the point at which particular inventions influenced others. Most early aviators worked by themselves developing their ideas, while occasionally corresponding with others. Some, such as Richard Pearce produced outstanding work in such complete isolation that the world never heard about them until it was far too late to write them into the history books. The best that can be claimed is that certain inventions were pivotal steps to realising the age of flight. Even then, who first achieved which step can still be debated. Richard Pearce (born January 25, 1943 in San Diego, California) is an American film director and producer. ...

One thing does seem clear from the timeline above; by the early 1900s there were many early aviators around the world working on the problem of flight, and the technology had matured sufficiently for a determined experimenter to succeed. Even if all the 20th century aviators who are mentioned above had not existed, it seems fairly sure that a successful airplane would have been developed before 1920. It was an idea whose time had come.

Debate on what was invented

This is a major source of controversy for early flying machines. There are kites, parachutes, lighter than air craft (balloons/airships), gliders and powered aircraft, which all have some ability to fly. The first use of each of these is worthy of note, but the definition of each of these is not universally agreed upon. The performance of some gliders was little better than slow falling, and might be considered more a type of parachute. Most early flying craft were light and fragile, and required the right wind conditions to fly. A headwind can give a boost to their takeoff. A tailwind will lengthen the apparent flight. Either might be considered unfair help from nature; almost anything will fly if the wind is strong enough. Some powered aircraft still needed a starting height or catapults to get them started, which might classify them only as engine-assisted gliders. Some inventions focused only on staying in the air, and had little or no ability to steer the craft, which makes them useless for practical flight. Other controversies include aircraft that derive some lift from attaching themselves to other types of flying craft, becoming hybrids. Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival held on the fourth Sunday every May in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan Kite flying is the activity of flying tethered man-made objects in wind. ... This article is about the device. ... The expression lighter than air refers to objects, usually aircraft, that are buoyant in air because they have an average density that is less than that of air (usually because they contain gases that have a density that is lower than that of air). ... A hot air balloon is prepared for flight by inflation of the envelope with propane burners. ... USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ... For other uses, see Glider (disambiguation). ... Flying machine redirects here. ...

Debate on what was accomplished

Even the definition of "flight" is not agreed upon. If a given flight only achieved a couple of metres of altitude, the craft may be taking advantage of ground effect, which is an aerodynamic effect that adds lift when very close to the ground. If the flight is only a few dozen metres in length, then it may be more due to momentum than lift; these might be considered only "hops" and not qualify as true flight. If the takeoff was from a height or was otherwise assisted, then how much was due to the craft's own lift is debated even if the flight was longer. The flight of a craft with little ability to gain altitude on its own may not be considered a true powered flight. If the flight ends in a crash, some discount the flight; the crash might be due to shortcuts taken in the construction of the craft, reducing its function or strength, which made the construction easier even if it made the craft impractical. There are other, more technical details about flight that can be sources of endless technical debates. For other uses, see Flight (disambiguation). ... The term Wing In Ground effect (sometimes misleadingly referred to simply as Ground effect - this being a generic term describing all aerodynamic effects due to a flying bodys proximity to the ground[1]) refers to the reduction in drag experienced by an aircraft as it approaches within roughly 1...

On the other hand, rather than specific, technical achievements, some claims to flight are more general. With the myriad of different challenges surrounding flight, succeeding in some is still an accomplishment. In truth, the more successful inventors built on the works of those who preceded them; those that did the earlier work deserve some credit. This is true even if their craft didn't fly successfully, or was only prototype that wasn't flown, or was only a model, a design, or just a sketch or theory. But saying "whose work helped others..." is not as often claimed as titles like "Father of Flight" or "Discoverer of Aeronautics". When designs, rather than flight are claimed, the classification of the craft designed gets all the more debatable, as critical details may be missing.

Debate on veracity of claims

For a claim to be accepted there must be some credible evidence. The number, quality and possible bias of witnesses are analyzed. There may be language and cultural barriers to analyzing the witnesses' reports. There may be cultural and philosophical barriers of the witnesses to overcome to even understand, much less properly report, the event they witnessed. Inventors skilled at marketing may be favoured because of more substantial evidence, even though such skills aren't usually associated with inventing flying machines. There is even an opposite effect, where a skilled "showman" can be accused of inflating claims or even falsifying inventions. More weight is given to photos of the flight, even though this favours claims taking place after the invention of photography. Photography [fәtɑgrәfi:],[foʊtɑgrәfi:] is the process of recording pictures by means of capturing light on a light-sensitive medium, such as a film or electronic sensor. ...

The number of flights is used to evaluate some claims in relation to others. If only a single flight was achieved by an invention, some dismiss this as a fluke. The more flights achieved, the more credible the evidence becomes, even though this favours inventors with more time and resources to invest. Damage to the aircraft on landings, and even injuries to the pilot, can be severe setbacks limiting the total evidence, even though they may be due to mere bad luck.

For inventors that focused on skills other than science, their inventions can be dismissed because of the non-scientific nature of the evidence. To answer this, there are sometimes attempts to provide the missing scientific aspects to the evidence by recreations after the fact. In the more extreme cases, rough sketches are turned into complete flying machines. But there is no way to prove that the re-creators' modern knowledge didn't influence details of the recreation, improving the original invention. The same problem arises when aircraft are recreated in attempts to perform new test flights years later.

Various governments and other organizations will often only give some claims an "official" approval in attempt to elevate one attempt over another, usually in the interest of a national or cultural pride. A great deal of disinformation and revisions can take place as well with some claims, both from individuals and governments, to adjust the level of importance of some respective claims. Minor mistakes or misinformation are sometimes widely reproduced without any further investigation. In the worst cases, some histories fail to mention the fact that counter-claims even exist, much less contrast them with a preferred claim.

Accuracy of historical record

Because so much litigation was involved in the early years of heavier-than-air flying, especially to discredit the Wright Brothers patent on a means to control flight, it is sometimes hard to determine the accuracy of historical documentation. Much documentation was assembled for various court cases years or decades after the event in question, and may have been intentionally editorialized to make certain events seem more significant than they were in order to attempt to show prior art. Often the characterization of a given flight will differ dramatically between the contemporary accounts and the accounts later provided for evidence. The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871–January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867–May 30, 1912), were two Americans generally credited with building the worlds first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and heavier-than-air human flight on December 17, 1903. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ...

In addition, the secrecy surrounding the oft-competing inventors of flight often make documentation suspect. Many contemporary newspaper articles' accuracy were also hampered by the slow speed of news of the day, a tendency of some reporters to exaggerate or fabricate events, and the reticence of the inventors guarding their secrets.

Technical details of defining flight

Flight can be defined as simply not falling when in the air. To do this, some force is needed to counter gravity. If a craft's countering force is not as strong as gravity, then the craft still falls, although slower. To rise from a starting point, the force must be greater than gravity. Since medieval times, rockets were known to provide sufficient energy, but were usually seen as too hazardous for manned experiments. The more common method involved a craft that was, in total, less dense than air. Before treated or synthetic materials were invented, balloons had to be made of many small pieces of natural materials, which couldn’t be made completely air-tight. This limited all early lighter than air craft to hot air balloons. However, such craft can only ascend and descend; they have little or no ability to steer, only work well in cold weather, and are quite susceptible to drifting away in even light breezes. Although balloons fly, they are of such limited use that people continued to search for something with a more practical ability to fly. Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... Synthesis (from the ancient Greek σύν (with) and θεσις (placing), is commonly understood to be an integration of two or more pre-existing elements which results in a new creation. ... This article is about hot air balloons themselves. ...

While useful flight is distinct from falling, there are many grey areas between them. Flying squirrels, for instance, can't sustain level flight, and may be doing little more than falling, yet what they achieve is certainly useful, since it is part of their natural adaptation for survival. Two groups of rodents are referred to as flying squirrels. ...

The type of falling that merely avoids injury on landing is usually termed "parachuting". This simply requires increasing air resistance to the point where terminal velocity is low enough to make landing safe. However, the slower one falls, the greater time in the air, and the greater the influence of other forces relative to gravity. This means it doesn't take much effort to achieve distance from initial momentum, or even steering from minor adjustments to the shape of whatever is providing the air resistance. In recent years, use of parasails, hang gliders and similar craft have erased most distinction between parachutes and gliders. For a solid object moving through a fluid or gas, drag is the sum of all the aerodynamic or hydrodynamic forces in the direction of the external fluid flow. ... For other uses, see Terminal velocity (disambiguation). ... Parasailing in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Parasailing, also known as parascending, is a recreational activity where a person (two or three people may also ride at the same time) is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a parachute. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ...

An aerofoil ("airfoil" in American English) is a surface that adds lift when air moves over it. By the shape of the aerofoil, the air over the top is forced to move faster than the air under. Slower air has more pressure, so there is a net upward pressure on the aerofoil, which is lift. The wings of most gliders and aircraft are aerofoils, but kites use the principles of aerofoils also. For the kite, see foil kite. ...

There are various methods of getting air to move over an aerofoil. Forward motion makes the aerofoil move relative to the air. A headwind does the same. A kite is held stationary by a string, and wind moves the air over the kite. A helicopter uses rotating aerofoils. For flying machines that use aerofoils, the method of getting the air to move is used by some to classify the invention. For other uses, see Helicopter (disambiguation). ...

Anything that falls can easily trade height for some forward motion, and get lift from aerofoils. A glider is usually defined as an aerofoil craft that relies on starting height rather than its own generated energy. But having an internal source of energy (an engine) doesn't always mean it is an aircraft rather than a glider; the engine may be so weak that it doesn't influence the craft's flight. How strong does the engine have to be before it is considered a true aircraft? A good breakpoint would be if the craft provides enough energy that it doesn't lose speed or altitude for a long period. But taking off at the start of a flight is a different situation; this often requires trading speed for height even on modern craft. Treating the takeoff separate from the rest of the flight has complications, as many craft needed ramps to help convert potential energy to forward momentum, catapults to give an initial push, or a starting height to allow a quick trade-off to forward motion. It is difficult to determine how much influence these extra take-off assistances had on the rest of the flight. Some craft didn't seem to need any obvious assistance, yet still required a headwind to add to the effect of the aerofoils in order to take off.

See also

• Timeline of aviation
• List of early flying machines
• Early flight
• List of years in aviation
• Aviation history
• Accidents and incidents in aviation
• World War I Aviation

This is a timeline of aviation history. ... The human dream of flight: Utopian flying machines from the 18th Century (illustration from the late 19th Century). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with First flying machine. ... This is a timeline of aviation history. ... Leonardo da Vincis Ornithopter body. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nieuport Fighter Aisne, France 1917 The Early Years of War The early years of war saw canvas-and-wood aircraft used primarily to function as mobile observation vehicles. ...

Notes

For other uses, see number 19. ... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... The Book of Han (Ch: 漢書, Hanshu) is a classic Chinese historical writing covering the history of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE-9 CE). ... Events The Bulgars invade and raid Byzantine territory, but are driven back near Constantinople by Belisarius. ... Zizhi Tongjian (traditional Chinese character: 資治通鑑; simplified Chinese character: 资治通鉴; pinyin Zīzhì Tōngjìan, Wade-Giles Tzu-chih tung-chien) is known to be a important Chinese history text of annual chronology. ... The History of Northern Dynasties (Chinese: 北史; Pinyin: BÄ›ishǐ) is one of the official Chinese historical works in the Twenty-Four Histories canon. ... Lynn Townsend White, Jr. ... Saudi Aramco World is a bi-motnhly magazine published by Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia. ...

References

• Aerospaceweb - Who was the first to fly?
• Aerospaceweb - Why do Brazilians consider Alberto Santos-Dumont the first man to fly if he didn't fly until 1906 and the Wright brothers did so in 1903?
• Listing and descriptions of pre-wright flying machines
• Prehistory of Flight
• Octave Chanute, Progress in Flying Machines, 1891 - 1894
• The Maxim Flyer. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.