In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright brothers constructed the first aeroplane which they gave the name of Flyer. It had two wings and two propellers, and weighed 300 kg.
To construct an engine light enough and mount it so as to set in motion the propellers and the whole glider was a very complex task indeed at the beginning of the 20th century, since by then no one could understand the principle of propellers’ work.
Orville and Wilbur Smith applied the principle of a propeller as a rotating wing which created drive-up. The attempt of Wilbur brother to take off on December 14 that same year was not successful. Three days later, on December 17, in the place of Kitty Hawk in the American state of North Carolina, and with the presence of only a few curious lokkers-on, Orville Wright soared into the air for the first time in human history. The flight lasted for only 12 seconds, and the plane covered mere 36 meters. Nevertheless, that was the firs flight in an aircraft heavier than air. That flight marked the beginning of swift aircraft development.
During the World War I aeroplanes became true combat machines. The end of the World War II saw the first jet aircrafts, whereas in 1947, the sound barrier was broken for the first time.
In mere hundred years, a long way has been covered from the flight lasting only 12 seconds to invisible military aircraft which, with speed two times greater than the speed of sound, fly over thousands of kilometers, as well as intercontinental flights of commercial aeroplanes with 500 seats.
