History of Australian Aviation - Essay Example

Abstract This paper describes the history of aviation from earliest days to the present day, looking at new developments, important personalities and their achievements, as well as technical improvements. The essay relates in particular to the situation, both physically and economically, in Australia with its vast open spaces and many physically isolated communities. Introduction Aviation which can be described as the manipulation of a spacecraft to provide transportation has been used frequently in recent years by man as a means of transport. Through technological advancements, aviation technology has advanced from kites, large aircrafts to more sophisticated jets. Using aircrafts is faster and efficient making it to soar high above the other means of transport like road, marine and railway in transportation of military weapons, perishable goods, transportation of patients who need serious medical attention to hospitals abroad, etc. But besides those merits, aviation technology has proved to be expensive while its accidents are fatal. History of Aviation Man has long wanted to conquer the air. This desire has been recorded throughout the earliest of histories, including the ancient Greeks with their story of Daedalus and Icarus (Greek Myths and Greek Mythology, 2013) and the British as early as 832 B.C.E, in which a British king, Bladud, died in a flight attempt according to ‘The Dream of Flight’ (2010), which also reveals that the Chinese had already invented the kite by that stage. From then, another notable advancement occurred in 1500, where an Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci made drawings of flying machines with flapping wings but he did not demonstrate his ideas practically, leaving people with myriads of doubts of whether his assertions could really have worked. In 1804, Sir George Cayley of Great Britain constructed and flew the first successful model glider (an aircraft supported only by the dynamic action of air against its surfaces) while in 1843 William S. Henson, a British inventor, invented and patented plans for a steam-driven airplane that had many of the basic parts of a modern plane. It had an engine, a shaft that rotates propellers among other modern plane features. This marked the cornerstone of major plane innovations that have greatly streamlined the aviation industry. In 1903, the Wright brothers of the United States managed short, but sustained flights in a machine that was heavier than air (Eye witness to History.com, 2013). Their first flight went 120 feet (37 meters) and lasted for about 12 seconds. In 1909, Louis Bleriot of France became the first person to fly with his own fabricated plane across the English Channel and soon planes were in action in the First World War. A few years later in private airlines started carrying airmail from U.S. Post office Department. In 1927 Charles A. Linbergh, a U.S. pilot, made the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight. He flew about 3.610 miles from Garden City in New York to Paris. In the same year, the Lockheed Vega which had a single engine flew for the first time. It became the most popular and most utilized transport plane of the 1920s and early 1930s. All the advancement and modifications have been done and continue to be done on the afore mentioned inventions and innovations to modern aviation technology. As aviation technology was advancing chronologically around the world, the experience was also being exhibited in the Australian aviation industry. Even before the days of the Wright brothers, Lawrence Hargrave who was an Australian mechanical engineer had begun to experiment with the idea of powered flight. He was a keen observer of nature and this helped him to develop his ideas. He based his theories upon what he saw as a necessity to 'follow in the footsteps of nature' (Australia.gov.au, 2013). Hargrave constructed various monoplane wing designs between 1884 and 1892. Later he invented the box kite and in 1894 he was able to fly himself off the ground for a short flight using a chain of four box kites, so although not an aviator he was a successful aeronautical inventor. Despite this early success it would be 1910 before the first powered and controlled flight was made in Australia by visiting American Harry Houdini. Harry Houdini who was always on the escape route is believed to have made Australia's first controlled flight in 1910. Biplanes, box kites and hydroplanes were predominant in the early 20th century and airmail, first carried by Maurice Guillaux, became a regular service between the major urban cities of Australia. As time elapsed, people gained knowledge and experience and there were improved flying machines. This was a catalyst to aviators who became more ambitious. Flight durations and distances greatly increased leading to Ross and Keith Smith making their first flight between England and Australia in 1919. It was only three years after this that the Australian Flying Corps was established in 1912, enabling the use of flight for military purposes. In September 1914 AFC played a role in the invasion of German New Guinea right at the beginning of the First World War in September 1914. By 1916 members of the force were engaged in the war in the Middle East. Three other squadrons were in operation on the Western Front in France. The Flying Corps would develop into the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921 .The first role that the AFC played was taking part in the invasion of German New Guinea in September 1914 during the First World War. The first complete AFC squadron, 1 Squadron, was formed and engaged in the Middle East from early 1916. Three other squadrons operated on the Western Front in France. In Australia, the New South Wales Aviation School was formed and began civil and military aviation training in August 1916. In August 1916 the New South Wales Aviation School began training both military and civilian pilots. At first, biplanes with very thin wings were considered the best as these wings were thought to slice through the air and offer the least air resistance (Oaks, 2009). However a double wing was needed in order to obtain the necessary degree of lift, although the second wing did not provide as much lift as the first. It was discovered that using two wings meant that the amount of drag was so great that high speeds were impossible. Oaks ( 2009) describes how, just before the 1st World War broke out, Ludwig Prandtl, a German physicist , discovered that using a carefully designed single thick wing would result in no more drag than a thinner wings. This changed aircraft design as not only could landing gear be contained within the thicker wing, but even guns and ammunition could be stored there. In 1921, Bert Hinkler, Australian born aviation technician working in an aviation industry in England shipped a small Avro Baby to Sydney. This was then flown non-stop to Bundaberg, Queensland, a distance of more than 850 miles (1370 kilometres). Later in 1928 he would make the first solo flight from Britain to Australia (Australia’s Museum of Flight, 2013). Like Hargrave he had first studied the flight of birds in his native Queensland .As a boy, he studied the flight of ibises. Later, he attempted to fly using wings strapped to his back. At only 19, he was able to successfully fly a homemade glider. Australia is of course famous for its Flying Doctor services. This began as the dream of Presbyterian minister, John Flynn. He had seen personally how hard a life pioneer settlers had. In 1917 Flynn received an inspirational letter from Lieutenant Clifford Peel who suggested that aviation could be used to bring medical services to the Outback. As a resultin 1928 in Queensland there began the first airborne service, then known as the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service, and later to be called the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Royal Flying Doctor Service 2013). In 1920, an airline company which called QANTAS (Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services) Airlines whose first aircraft was Avro 504K was launched and began to carry out internal flights in Australia (Qantas Through the Years, 2013). By 1922 there were regular scheduled flights for both mail and passengers and in 1926 the company was building its own planes. In 1935scheduled overseas flights took place. Flying boats were used from 1938 and by 1953 the company was running economy class flights to the United Kingdom. As flights were now in operation, and its workability was not in question, different aircraft designs had to be crafted for better and efficient results. During these early years the design of the planes used was of course developing. As early as the 18th century Sir George Cayley had come to understand that propulsion and lift were two separate concepts (Caughey, undated). He also developed a machine to measure the forces operating on aerofoils and wings. The Wrights brothers, in their extensive experiments in the use of wind tunnels and the control of gliders, were able to correct some of Caughey’s calculations. The brothers also came up with a propeller which had 80% efficiency. In 1912 the first enclosed cockpit was built, the aeroplane being an Avro Type F, a single seater, mid wing monoplane designed by A.V.Roe (Their Flying Machines, undated). In 1922, as described by Klopper (undated) an important development came when Wallace Turnbull invented the variable pitch propeller. The blades of the propeller were to be adjusted in pitch according to the weight being carried and the flying conditions. A constant speed propeller does this automatically in flight. In 1930 Frank Whittle applied for the first turbo jet engine patent (Bellis, 2013). He and Hans von Ohain were working quite independently and von Obain, who was granted a patent in 1936, beat Whittle in getting a plane flying. Things changed quickly. By 1933 the Boeing 247 took its first flight using a retractable landing gear and a fully cantilevered wing, rather than the flat open wings of the earlier bi-planes and some monoplanes. During the same period aviation researchers came to realize that flying at higher altitudes above the weather would not only pay dividends in providing greater passenger comfort, but speeds and ranges would increase. Reliable oxygen masks were available as well as electrically heated flying suits. Also, practical pressure suits were tried out. In May 1937 an experimental airplane, which was pressurized, flew successfully. High altitude flight tests were also being done. As a result in 1940 the ‘flying whale, otherwise known as the Boeing 307 Stratoliner Pressurized Airliner, came into service and made possible flight at much higher altitudes so avoiding turbulence overcoming the problems of thin air and freezing temperatures. Nowadays in Australia the whole aviation industry is under the control and oversight of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (2013). The department web page says that:- The Australian Government, through the Department, contributes to the prosperity of the economy and the wellbeing of all Australians by fostering a viable, competitive and safe aviation industry. The page also describes how those Australians who live in remote and isolated places are reliant upon a weekly air service used for the carriage of both passengers and goods of all kinds. The mail service Australia Post also uses some of the same air operators, using separate contracts to deliver mail to these outposts. Conclusion In only two or three generations mankind had gone from that first controlled flight by the Wright brothers to travel in space and of course, in 1969, came the first moon landings. In the outback of Australia things haven’t perhaps moved at the same speed, but small local flights, as well as longer ones and international ones, have opened up the interior of Australia and meant the survival of many smaller communities. This would have been impossible without pioneers willing to take huge risks in order to test new innovations , and without the skills of both physicists and engineers , as well of course of the pilots and other staff. As for the future, Holloway (2012) writes of the possibility of a ‘Son of Concorde’, flying at more than twice the speed of its predecessor, which could cut the London to Australia flight time down to only 4 hours. Such services of course would be very expensive, not just to operate, but also to develop and set up. Demand would however presumably make such a service viable. Without such an infrastructure Australian society would probably just be a few isolated communities with a criss-cross of roads and rails, but little in between. Flight makes modern rural life in Australia viable and improves communications between larger urban communities, both with other parts of Australia, but also with other countries. References Australia.gov.au,2013,Early Australian aviation, Available at http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/early-austn-aviation ( accessed 10th May 2013) Australia’s Museum of Flight, 2013, The Pioneers, Available at http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/bert_hinkler_bio.html( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Bellis, M.,2013, Jet Engines - Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle, About.com, Available at http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bljetengine.htm( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Department of Infrastructure and Transport,2013, Aviation, Available at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Department of Infrastructure and Transport, 2013, History of Rail in Australia, Available at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/history.aspx#railways(Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Caughey, D., (undated) Overview of Aeronautics, Available at https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/mae3050/AeroHistory_3050.pdf( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Eye Witness to History, 2003, The Wright Brothers - First Flight, 1903, Available at http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/wright.htm( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Family of Amelia Earhart, ( undated) Biography, Available at http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/bio.html( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Greek Myths and Greek Mythology,2013,The myth of Daedalus and Icarus, ,Available at http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/myth-of-daedalus-and-icarus/( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Holloway, J. June 12th 2012, ,Son of Concorde to fly London-to-Sydney in 4 hours? Gizmag[Online],Available at http://www.gizmag.com/son-of-concorde/23118/( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Klopper, L.,(undated) Varied Pitch, Constant Speed Propellers, Available at http://www.sagpa.co.za/docs/Variable%20Pitch%20Propellers.pps( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Koala .net, 2013,European Settlement Available athttp://www.koalanet.com.au/european-settlement.html( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Lindbergh, C.,1927 quoted in Charles Lindbergh, American Aviator, 1998, Available at http://www.charleslindbergh.com/history/( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Oaks, J.,2009,Biplanes top Monoplanes, Examiner .com,[Online]Available at http://www.examiner.com/article/biplanes-to-monoplanes( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Pomata, O., 2001, Boeing 307 Stratoliner Pressurized Airliner, History Link.org. Available at http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=3598( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Qantas, 2013, Qantas Through the Years, Available at http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/history-through-the-years/global/en( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Royal Flying Doctor Service, 2013, Available athttp://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/About-Us/Our-History/The-John-Flynn-Story/The Dream of Flight, Time Line of Flight , 2010,http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/wb-timeline.html( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Their Flying Machines, (undated), AvroType F. Available at http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft28645.htm( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Who2 biographies, 2013, Charles Lindbergh Biography,Available at http://www.who2.com/bio/charles-lindbergh ( Accessed 10th May 2013 ) Read More

He flew about 3.610 miles from Garden City in New York to Paris. In the same year, the Lockheed Vega which had a single engine flew for the first time. It became the most popular and most utilized transport plane of the 1920s and early 1930s. All the advancement and modifications have been done and continue to be done on the afore mentioned inventions and innovations to modern aviation technology. As aviation technology was advancing chronologically around the world, the experience was also being exhibited in the Australian aviation industry.

Even before the days of the Wright brothers, Lawrence Hargrave who was an Australian mechanical engineer had begun to experiment with the idea of powered flight. He was a keen observer of nature and this helped him to develop his ideas. He based his theories upon what he saw as a necessity to 'follow in the footsteps of nature' (Australia.gov.au, 2013). Hargrave constructed various monoplane wing designs between 1884 and 1892. Later he invented the box kite and in 1894 he was able to fly himself off the ground for a short flight using a chain of four box kites, so although not an aviator he was a successful aeronautical inventor.

Despite this early success it would be 1910 before the first powered and controlled flight was made in Australia by visiting American Harry Houdini. Harry Houdini who was always on the escape route is believed to have made Australia's first controlled flight in 1910. Biplanes, box kites and hydroplanes were predominant in the early 20th century and airmail, first carried by Maurice Guillaux, became a regular service between the major urban cities of Australia. As time elapsed, people gained knowledge and experience and there were improved flying machines.

This was a catalyst to aviators who became more ambitious. Flight durations and distances greatly increased leading to Ross and Keith Smith making their first flight between England and Australia in 1919. It was only three years after this that the Australian Flying Corps was established in 1912, enabling the use of flight for military purposes. In September 1914 AFC played a role in the invasion of German New Guinea right at the beginning of the First World War in September 1914. By 1916 members of the force were engaged in the war in the Middle East.

Three other squadrons were in operation on the Western Front in France. The Flying Corps would develop into the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921 .The first role that the AFC played was taking part in the invasion of German New Guinea in September 1914 during the First World War. The first complete AFC squadron, 1 Squadron, was formed and engaged in the Middle East from early 1916. Three other squadrons operated on the Western Front in France. In Australia, the New South Wales Aviation School was formed and began civil and military aviation training in August 1916.

In August 1916 the New South Wales Aviation School began training both military and civilian pilots. At first, biplanes with very thin wings were considered the best as these wings were thought to slice through the air and offer the least air resistance (Oaks, 2009). However a double wing was needed in order to obtain the necessary degree of lift, although the second wing did not provide as much lift as the first. It was discovered that using two wings meant that the amount of drag was so great that high speeds were impossible.

Oaks ( 2009) describes how, just before the 1st World War broke out, Ludwig Prandtl, a German physicist , discovered that using a carefully designed single thick wing would result in no more drag than a thinner wings. This changed aircraft design as not only could landing gear be contained within the thicker wing, but even guns and ammunition could be stored there. In 1921, Bert Hinkler, Australian born aviation technician working in an aviation industry in England shipped a small Avro Baby to Sydney.

This was then flown non-stop to Bundaberg, Queensland, a distance of more than 850 miles (1370 kilometres).

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