On January 23, 1909, the Blériot XI made its first flight, launching an aircraft that would soon prove its worth by crossing ...

On January 19, 1946, the Bell X-1 flew for the first time, launching a research program that would lead to the world's first ...

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft with the Wright Flyer. After their final and longest flight, ...

Flailing in the dark: aeronautics before the 19th century -- Starts and stops: aeronautical progress in the 19th century -- The real beginning: the Wright Flyer -- Seat-of- the-pants design: the era ...