An Aircraft is any machine supported for flight int he air by buoyancy, or by the dynamic action of air on it's surfaces.http://www.dictionary.com The first true successful flight was on December 17, 1903 when the Wright Brothers few 120 feet and remained airborne for 12 seconds.http://www.globalaircraft.org/history_of_aviation.htm There are currently more than 20 aircraft manufacturers throughout the world, with the largest being Cessna and Boeing Company.
The smallest aircraft in the world is the Bumblebee II, which was designed, built and flown by Robert H Starr. It's wing span covers 5'6, it weighs 396 pounds, and it measures 8'10 long. It's top speed has been clocked at 190 mph, and it's cruising speed is 150 mph. It operates on a C-85 engine and holds only 3 gallons of fuel.http://members.cox.net/robinstarr/
The largest aircraft in the world is the Antonov AN-225 Mriya. The original purpose for the plan was to ferry large components used in the Soviet space program. It flew for the first time in 1988, and set 106 world records during that flight. It's wing span covers 290, it weighs 628,315 pounds, and measures 275 feet long. It's top speed has been clocked at 530 mph, and it's cruising speed is 495 mph. It is powered by six Lotarev D-18T turbo fans, and holds up to 661,375 pounds of fuel.http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/transport-m/an225/
Notable Airline Companies
Aircraft History
The Wright Brothers flew the first ever official aircraft on December 17, 1903 at 10:35 am. On December 31, 1908 the Wright Brothers took their aircraft to France, where they completed a 2 hour and 20 minute flight in a demonstration. They sold the plane to the military where it remained in service for the next two years. The "Flyer" now sits in the Smithsonian Institution.
Shortly before World War I, tractor biplanes were invented, which were two winged aircraft's with the engine and propeller in front of the wing. This led to huge biplanes with two to four engines being developed for bombing during the war. It is around this time that airmail was officially approved by the U.S. Post Office and was used for airmail.
During World War II aircraft were used for a variety of things. Airborne divisions were created where entire companies would parachute to the ground behind enemy lines from an aircraft. Fighter planes were also common throughout the war, however a breakthrough was just over the horizon. Before World War II ended jet and rocket propelled aircraft had been invented, leading to an aircraft revolution.http://www.globalaircraft.org/history_of_aviation.htm
Notable Pilots
The Fastest Aircraft in the World
This video depicts the X-15, the fastest aircraft in the world. Though is no longer flown today, it still holds the current manned aircraft speed record at Mach 6.72.
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Fast Facts
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First Flight
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Largest Aircraft
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Smallest Aircraft
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Fastest Aircraft
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Notable Aircraft Manufacturers
