Aviation

Aviation as a term is basically all factors involved in flight, specifically man-made flying devices. It covers not only pilots, but also all the fields necessary to support flight. So this includes not only aeroplanes, helicopters or hot air balloons, but also air traffic control and flight schools.

Early Days of Flying

The prospect of flying has always been a part of human psyche. Even in the days before we could fly in planes legends like Icarus existed, which propelled people's imaginations. There were also other short distance flights reported, more credible than that of Icarus. These include Yuan Huangtou's kite flight in China and parachute flight and glider of Abbas Ibn Firnas in Spain.

The earliest examples of actual flight carried out by man, however, come from periods such as Ancient Greece with inventions such as Archytas's mechanical pigeon. This was a bird-shaped device, said to have flown some 200 meters using steam power. Simple artefacts such as the Boomerang or even spears come under the classification of aviation, however, as they are often specifically manufactured for flight.

Modern Aviation

Practically, however, was clearly an issue with these lighter-than-air flights. So we fast forward again to 1903 when the Wright Brothers made their flight and became the first to do so in a heavier-than-air device.

Despite these advances there was still no viable invention that could successfully transport large numbers of people, or travel for long distances. It was not until the likes of World War 1 that heavier-than0air powered aircraft became more prominent as they were more practical for reconnaissance. This and World War 2 sped up the advancement of technology in all areas, including flight and played a large role in creating modern day aviation.

Today, people use aeroplanes almost the same way they would use trains or buses, with large aircraft managing to transport around 500 passengers at a time, helped by a busy network of highly trained pilots and air traffic controllers on the ground. Of all of the advancements in technology mankind has achieved, flight must be up there as one of the most important.

When we think of flight and aviation though, we think of aeroplanes, helicopters and other large craft that can take passengers across vast stretches of the globe. When we fast forward in time to the 1700s we get closer to this image. Before motorised inventions were conceived, hot air balloons were the standard model upon which to fly. The first untethered human flight took place on November 21st 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers and is regarded as the beginning of the modern age of aviation.