History of Air Cargo - Essay Example

Sir George-Cayley- a British aeronautical engineer deserves to be known as the father of aviation for his tremendous contribution in the field of flying. ("Aviation", 2005) Several experiments were made in the field of aviation between 1890 and 1901. In 1901, Langley tested and flew an unmanned quarter sized model before testing his full scale model called aerodrome in 1903, which operated on a gasoline engine. However, the machine achieved little success. In 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first successful flight.

However, major developments in aviation was the result of the efforts made by Chanute, Lilenthal and Langley after 1885, who established a sound basis in experimental aerodynamics; but stability and control essential for sustained flight were yet to be achieved. Above all, the heavy steam engine was planned to be replaced by light gasoline engine. The world's first successful flight was made on December 17, 1903 in North Carolina by the Wright Brothers, in a heavier-than-aircraft under power and control.

The first longest flight was flown for 260m in 59 seconds. In the following year, the brothers together made 105 flights, the longest being for over 5 minutes followed by a 38 minute 3 sec (38.9 Km) flight in the next year. In 1906, the first official flight in Europe was made in France by Alberto Santos-Dumont of Brazil for around 220m in 21.2 sec. The airplane which was self designed by Alberto was powered with a levavasseur 40 horsepower Antoinette engine. By the end of 1907, Henri Farman flew an aircraft built by Voisin in Europe for 1 min.

In 1908, a flyer was demonstrated to the ArmySignals Corps at Fort Myer Virginie by Oriville, which was flown for over an hour and carried a passenger for the first time in the history of flying. Wright successfully accomplished flying on December 31st for over 2 hours and 20 minutes, with complete control of his flyer. Glenn Hammond Curtiss, New York was one of the most prominent American designer manufacturer and pilots of airplanes, completing the first solo flight on June 28, 1907 in a dirigible airship built by Thomas Baldwin.

The aircraft was powered with a modified Curtiss engine of Curtiss motorcycle. On June 4th, 1908, the Scientific American trophy was awarded, for their flight in their third airplane by name the June Bug which covered a distance of 1552 m (5090 ft) in 1 min and 42.5 sec. Curtiss won New York world prize for his flight from Albany, New York to New York City. Curtiss became the first American to develop and fly a seaplane in January. Louis Bleriot- a French engineer flew across the English Channel in 35.

5 min, in a monoplane, which was self