1843 : William S. Henson, a British inventor, patented plans for a steam-driven airplane (1st plane with an engine) that had many of the basic parts of a modern airplane.

1896: Samuel P. Langley of the United States flew a steam powered model plane.

First Successful Airplane Flight in 1896 Steam power, 30 lbs., 25 mph

1908: Leon Delagrange: 1st person to fly as a passenger, who rode with French pilot, Henri Farman.

1914: 1st scheduled air service in Florida By plane designed by Glenn Curtiss, could take

off and land in water.1914-1918: World War One (WW1)

Aircraft use for military (reconnaissance & shooting)

Increased demand for military aircrafts, more powerful motors and larger aircrafts.

Commercial aviation very slow (people afraid, aircraft service not convenient)

After WW1: Commercial aviation catches on, aircraft design

advances, bomber airframes (e.g., B-29, Lancaster, DC-3) easily converted into commercial aircraft.

DC-3: first passenger aircraft yielding profit (21 seats, 16 hours)

1917: Operating Airlines Companies Royal Dutch Airlines Lufthansa Qantas

Congress appropriated $100,000 for experimental airmail service in 1917, conducted by the Army and the Post Office (Washington-New York).

However, airplanes still could not fly at night.

Using beacons (lighting signal): Night flights possible in Ohio, the beacon visible at 10-second intervals.

Contract Act of 1925 (Kelly Act) Government moved airmail traffic to the private sector,

using competitive bids, 5 contracts were granted. Morrow Board

Board to recommend a national aviation policy, chaired by Dwight Morrow, senior partner in JP Morgan. Government should set standards for civil aviation outside the military

Air Commerce Act of 1926 Recommendations accepted and implemented by the

Secretary of Commerce: designate air routes, develop navigation systems, license pilots and aircrafts, investigate accidents

Early 1930s, Henry Ford produced the ‘Ford Trimotor’ airplane .Also called as the “Tin Goose” because of its corrugated(wrinkles) metal skin.

“Tin Goose "was the first duralumin aircraft, designed primarily for passengers

It can accommodate 12/13 passengers in its earliest model and was modified to seat up to 17.

With no air conditioning and little heating, the plane was hot in summer and cold in winter, and with no circulation system, its environment was made even more unpleasant by the smell of hot oil and metal, leather seats, and disinfectant used to clean up after airsick passengers. Opening a window was the only way to escape the smell.

However, no plane at the time could fly high enough to escape the turbulence encountered at lower altitudes, and passengers were equally suspect to airsickness.

The Ford Trimotor could reach about 6,000 feet (1,829 kilometre), but it’s climb to that altitude was slow, and the plane would surge upward, level off, bump around, and drop repeatedly before it reached its cruising altitude

Douglas Company by Donald Douglas in California

Consolidated Aircraft CorporationCurtiss-Wright CorporationGrumman Aircraft Company in New

York

Charles Lindberg – 1st flight across the Atlantic ocean (NYC-Paris) in 1927 using the Spirit of St. Louis.

Aviation became a more established industry

He covered the distance of 3,610 miles in 33 1/2 hours. This was the first solo, non-stop transatlantic flight.

Aviation becomes respectable for the masses, the popular Lindbergh goes on world tours to promote aviation and Pan-American Airways

Watres Act: Designed by Postmaster General Walter

Brown, allowed the Post Office to enter long-term contracts with rates based on volume.

Air Mail Act of 1934: Return of the airmail service again to the

private sector after scandals in attributing routes under the Watres Act, also, the government forced dismantling (break down) vertical holding companies.

Airlines needed larger and faster aircraft to attract more passengers.

Higher demand in aircraft innovation. Improvements done by aircraft

manufacturer: Air-cooled engines, reduced weight, larger and

faster planes, cockpit instruments improved too: better altimeters, airspeed indicators, rate-of-climb indicators, compasses, artificial horizon &radio beacons