History of Airplanes
Human flight has become a tired fact of modern life. At any given moment, roughly 5,000 airplanes crisscross the skies above the United States alone, amounting to an estimated 64 million commercial and private takeoffs every year [source: NATCA]. Consider the rest of the world's flight activity, and the grand total is incalculable.
It is easy to take the physics of flight for granted, as well as the ways in which we exploit them to achieve flight. We often glimpse a plane in the sky with no greater understanding of the principles involved than a caveman.
How do these heavy machines take to the air? To answer that question, we have to enter the world of fluid mechanics.
Physicists classify both liquids and gases as fluids, based on how they flow. Even though air, water and pancake syrup may seem like very different substances, they all conform to the same set of mathematical relationships. In fact, basic aerodynamic tests are sometimes performed underwater. To put it simply, a salmon essentially flies through the sea, and a pelican swims through the air.
The core of the matter is this: Even a clear sky isn't empty. Our atmosphere is a massive fluid layer, and the right application of physics makes it possible for humans to traverse it.
In this article, we'll walk through the basic principles of aviation and the various forces at work in any given flight.
It is easy to take the physics of flight for granted, as well as the ways in which we exploit them to achieve flight. We often glimpse a plane in the sky with no greater understanding of the principles involved than a caveman.
How do these heavy machines take to the air? To answer that question, we have to enter the world of fluid mechanics.
Physicists classify both liquids and gases as fluids, based on how they flow. Even though air, water and pancake syrup may seem like very different substances, they all conform to the same set of mathematical relationships. In fact, basic aerodynamic tests are sometimes performed underwater. To put it simply, a salmon essentially flies through the sea, and a pelican swims through the air.
The core of the matter is this: Even a clear sky isn't empty. Our atmosphere is a massive fluid layer, and the right application of physics makes it possible for humans to traverse it.
In this article, we'll walk through the basic principles of aviation and the various forces at work in any given flight.
BOEING
FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing's (NYSE: BA) new aircraft and innovative technologies attracted customers, partners, government officials and media at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow. The show saw the first flying display of the innovative 787 Dreamliner in Qatar Airways livery and the new Enduring Awareness Pavilion, a display of advanced command, control, communication, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities.
Customer demand for the 737 family of airplanes – including the new 737 MAX –continued to grow this week. Leasing company customers Air Lease Corporation, GECAS, ALAFCO and Avolon announced orders and commitments at the show for 220 737 family airplanes.
In addition, United Airlines also announced today in Chicago an historic order for 150 737 airplanes, including 100 737 MAX 9s and 50 Next-Generation 737-900ERs. The deal, worth $14.7 billion at list prices, brought the world's most popular single-aisle jetliner's total order book to more than 10,000 to date, an industry record.
Over the past week, customers have announced orders and commitments for 396 airplanes, valued at more than $37 billion. The number of Boeing net orders for 2012 currently stands at 691, and the 737 MAX has accumulated 649 orders to date.
Boeing announced during the show key partnerships with Embraer (weapons integration for A-29 Super Tucano) and Elbit Systems (collaboration on Hermes unmanned airborne systems). The company also shared plans for the 2012 ecoDemonstrator, an American Airlines 737-800 that will be used as a flying testbed to accelerate environmentally progressive technologies. New Boeing offerings for defense and security customers unveiled at the show include a medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft and the introduction of the Intelligent Sensor Camera System, that fully integrates video processing capability.
Other highlights at the show were the presence of a Korean Air 737-900ER with the new Boeing Sky Interior; the multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter; the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor; the C-17 Globemaster III airlifter; the F-15E Eagle fighter and the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter.
Boeing also highlighted its services portfolio, a growing market segment projected to reach $2.4 trillion on the commercial side over the next 20 years. The 2012 Pilot & Technician Outlook forecasts a 20-year demand for more than a million commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians. The company signed a long-term agreement with TUI Travel to cover complete fleet training for Thomson Airways, including its new 787 Dreamliners.
Customer demand for the 737 family of airplanes – including the new 737 MAX –continued to grow this week. Leasing company customers Air Lease Corporation, GECAS, ALAFCO and Avolon announced orders and commitments at the show for 220 737 family airplanes.
In addition, United Airlines also announced today in Chicago an historic order for 150 737 airplanes, including 100 737 MAX 9s and 50 Next-Generation 737-900ERs. The deal, worth $14.7 billion at list prices, brought the world's most popular single-aisle jetliner's total order book to more than 10,000 to date, an industry record.
Over the past week, customers have announced orders and commitments for 396 airplanes, valued at more than $37 billion. The number of Boeing net orders for 2012 currently stands at 691, and the 737 MAX has accumulated 649 orders to date.
Boeing announced during the show key partnerships with Embraer (weapons integration for A-29 Super Tucano) and Elbit Systems (collaboration on Hermes unmanned airborne systems). The company also shared plans for the 2012 ecoDemonstrator, an American Airlines 737-800 that will be used as a flying testbed to accelerate environmentally progressive technologies. New Boeing offerings for defense and security customers unveiled at the show include a medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft and the introduction of the Intelligent Sensor Camera System, that fully integrates video processing capability.
Other highlights at the show were the presence of a Korean Air 737-900ER with the new Boeing Sky Interior; the multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter; the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor; the C-17 Globemaster III airlifter; the F-15E Eagle fighter and the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter.
Boeing also highlighted its services portfolio, a growing market segment projected to reach $2.4 trillion on the commercial side over the next 20 years. The 2012 Pilot & Technician Outlook forecasts a 20-year demand for more than a million commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians. The company signed a long-term agreement with TUI Travel to cover complete fleet training for Thomson Airways, including its new 787 Dreamliners.
Airplane House
Information
The main reason that people are converting these old airliners is because of cost and the environmentally friendly aspect of it. The regular life of an airliner is running routes until it is sent to the scrap yard and crushed or melted down and reused in other machines or sold as scrap metal. Instead of using the energy and time of crushing and melting the planes, people buy them from the scrap yard and use the frame as a base for a house.[2] These houses typically have the same area as a normal house, just in a different shape. Lighting, heating/air conditioning, and plumbing are all easily installed once the plane is transported to its final destination from the scrap yard. The plane houses often have the cockpit and back of the plane turned into either a bedroom or bathroom. Then a room in the middle which is another bedroom. The remaining area is made into a living room/kitchen.[3] Owners of the house are very pleased with them because of their low energy costs. Since the planes are designed to be extremely high in the air in cold weather, the fuselages are extremely well insulated. These houses also have very good storage area. The cargo hold underneath that is normally used to carry customer bags is now available to use as an attic-type storage area and the wings can even be converted into decks if one desires.[4] The financial aspect of these homes is appealing as well. They are very low maintenance and low cost to build. The average cost of one of these houses to build is about $35,000 to $55,000. This includes the plane, land (small amount of area), inside systems (plumbing, electrical, and heating/air conditioning), and the transporting of the plane from the scrap yard.
[edit]Construction
The construction of the house is fairly simple since the frame of the aircraft is already assembled. Once it is bought from the scrap yard they will most likely dismantle the various pieces of the aircraft and put them on flatbeds to transport it to the buyer's property. Once it has arrived, they will use a crane to place it in the buyer's yard and reattach the pieces. The plane requires no foundation because it is not a building. It is best to have the landing gear removed at the scrap yard so the buyer won't have to deal with that process when it arrives.[5] Once the plane is placed and assembled, the buyer must go to work on the inside. There will most likely be wires and other useless digital mechanisms left over from when the plane was stripped. The buyer must remove all of these so they do not interfere with the new electrical and plumbing systems that will be installed. This is a “do-it-yourself” job which requires no training or skills. The customer may just start cutting and pulling the wires and cables out. The way to go about this is to set aside a weekend and rent a full-sized dumpster which the customer can throw everything into. If they find the right place they might even give a little bit of money for the metal inside the cables.[6] After the inside is clean from all of the previous wires and electronics, one can hire someone to install the plumbing, electrical, and duct work for heating and air conditioning. This is the best time to do this because there are no walls or floors that will get in the way of the crafts men,s work. It is best to hire somebody for these systems[citation needed] since the customer is starting from complete scratch. After the systems are installed, the customer may hire a carpenter to put in walls and floors. This is the point where the customer can begin to get creative because they get to design the floor plan. The easiest way is to have one room at each end and a large room in the middle. This room will be the living room and kitchen. Some aircraft are big enough that can fit another room at the back that can be a second bedroom. The carpenter will install the floors, walls, and ceilings to all the areas of the plane. After this, the house is just about complete. All that is left is to buy things like carpeting and furniture to make it a regular house.
[edit]Advantages
There are many reasons that people would build this type of house. The cost is effective, the entire project is much less than most suburban homes and requires much less maintenance. Also there will be no mortgage on the property for the original builder, which means the customer will own their home sooner. It is also a good home for first time buyers because it is inexpensive as well as a full size house. In addition to low building costs it is very inexpensive to heat and cool. The fuselage is designed to be very well insulated because they have to hold up to extreme cold in high altitudes. This makes it very good at keeping the temperature and takes very little to change the temperature inside.[7] Another reason that people build these homes is because of the environmental responsibility. Using an old aircraft which will no longer fly is saving the materials and reusing them. Otherwise the aircraft will either sit in a scrap yard and take years before the scrapping machines get to it and it is melted down. These houses can also very easily be converted to an off grid solar panel system. If the customer lives in a sunny area, they could just install solar panels on the wings of the aircraft since that space is most likely not being used.[8] The final main advantage to these houses is the uniqueness. Many people will be interested in how it works and why it exists. The retired plane will probably attract quite a bit of attention from the neighbors.
[edit]Costs
Airplane homes are very cost effective both to build and in the long run. The scrapped and stripped airliners that formerly shuttled passengers from place to place are now just sitting in scrap yards all over the country and are only valued for their aluminum. Depending on the place, condition, and age of the aircraft, customers are able to pick buy from anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 that would be suitable for conversion to a residential home.[9] Generally the modern airliners are around 100 feet (30 m) and the wing span is somewhere around that, which means that there is a minimum land requirement of about 1-acre (4,000 m2) if yard is desired. In some areas of the country suburban land is available of that size for around $15,000. Once the two items bought the large purchases are out of the way. The next biggest expense is the shipping of the aircraft. It will take several tractor trailer trucks to transport the entire plane when it is dismantled. Depending on the company fares and the length that the plane is being transported the fee will most likely be a few thousand dollars. After the aircraft has been delivered to the property the process can be slowed down a bit. The customer can take however long they need to gut the inside and have the professionals add the systems to the shell. It is best to hire people to do this which will cost some money, but when they are dealing with things like electricity and plumbing, it is better to be safe than sorry. Eventually after all this is completed it will come time to furnish the home. The cost of this largely depends on the furniture that are picked and personal tastes.
[edit]Professional Companies
Since there is not much demand for this kind of a home mainly as it is relatively unknown, there are very few companies that are doing this professionally. They put their planes up on a pole like pivot which allows the plane to spin like a weather vane. The purpose of this is to have the aircraft spin and always face the wind. This allows the plane to hold up to 280 mph (450 km/h) winds without having any problems.The only problem with buying the home from this company is the cost. Customers may either build it themselves and pay around $45,000 or buy the already built house from this company for $315,000. If the customers choice to build the aircraft home themselves there is a lot more customization. They are allowed to make their own floor plan, furnishings, and the set up of the lights and plumbing the way they like
The main reason that people are converting these old airliners is because of cost and the environmentally friendly aspect of it. The regular life of an airliner is running routes until it is sent to the scrap yard and crushed or melted down and reused in other machines or sold as scrap metal. Instead of using the energy and time of crushing and melting the planes, people buy them from the scrap yard and use the frame as a base for a house.[2] These houses typically have the same area as a normal house, just in a different shape. Lighting, heating/air conditioning, and plumbing are all easily installed once the plane is transported to its final destination from the scrap yard. The plane houses often have the cockpit and back of the plane turned into either a bedroom or bathroom. Then a room in the middle which is another bedroom. The remaining area is made into a living room/kitchen.[3] Owners of the house are very pleased with them because of their low energy costs. Since the planes are designed to be extremely high in the air in cold weather, the fuselages are extremely well insulated. These houses also have very good storage area. The cargo hold underneath that is normally used to carry customer bags is now available to use as an attic-type storage area and the wings can even be converted into decks if one desires.[4] The financial aspect of these homes is appealing as well. They are very low maintenance and low cost to build. The average cost of one of these houses to build is about $35,000 to $55,000. This includes the plane, land (small amount of area), inside systems (plumbing, electrical, and heating/air conditioning), and the transporting of the plane from the scrap yard.
[edit]Construction
The construction of the house is fairly simple since the frame of the aircraft is already assembled. Once it is bought from the scrap yard they will most likely dismantle the various pieces of the aircraft and put them on flatbeds to transport it to the buyer's property. Once it has arrived, they will use a crane to place it in the buyer's yard and reattach the pieces. The plane requires no foundation because it is not a building. It is best to have the landing gear removed at the scrap yard so the buyer won't have to deal with that process when it arrives.[5] Once the plane is placed and assembled, the buyer must go to work on the inside. There will most likely be wires and other useless digital mechanisms left over from when the plane was stripped. The buyer must remove all of these so they do not interfere with the new electrical and plumbing systems that will be installed. This is a “do-it-yourself” job which requires no training or skills. The customer may just start cutting and pulling the wires and cables out. The way to go about this is to set aside a weekend and rent a full-sized dumpster which the customer can throw everything into. If they find the right place they might even give a little bit of money for the metal inside the cables.[6] After the inside is clean from all of the previous wires and electronics, one can hire someone to install the plumbing, electrical, and duct work for heating and air conditioning. This is the best time to do this because there are no walls or floors that will get in the way of the crafts men,s work. It is best to hire somebody for these systems[citation needed] since the customer is starting from complete scratch. After the systems are installed, the customer may hire a carpenter to put in walls and floors. This is the point where the customer can begin to get creative because they get to design the floor plan. The easiest way is to have one room at each end and a large room in the middle. This room will be the living room and kitchen. Some aircraft are big enough that can fit another room at the back that can be a second bedroom. The carpenter will install the floors, walls, and ceilings to all the areas of the plane. After this, the house is just about complete. All that is left is to buy things like carpeting and furniture to make it a regular house.
[edit]Advantages
There are many reasons that people would build this type of house. The cost is effective, the entire project is much less than most suburban homes and requires much less maintenance. Also there will be no mortgage on the property for the original builder, which means the customer will own their home sooner. It is also a good home for first time buyers because it is inexpensive as well as a full size house. In addition to low building costs it is very inexpensive to heat and cool. The fuselage is designed to be very well insulated because they have to hold up to extreme cold in high altitudes. This makes it very good at keeping the temperature and takes very little to change the temperature inside.[7] Another reason that people build these homes is because of the environmental responsibility. Using an old aircraft which will no longer fly is saving the materials and reusing them. Otherwise the aircraft will either sit in a scrap yard and take years before the scrapping machines get to it and it is melted down. These houses can also very easily be converted to an off grid solar panel system. If the customer lives in a sunny area, they could just install solar panels on the wings of the aircraft since that space is most likely not being used.[8] The final main advantage to these houses is the uniqueness. Many people will be interested in how it works and why it exists. The retired plane will probably attract quite a bit of attention from the neighbors.
[edit]Costs
Airplane homes are very cost effective both to build and in the long run. The scrapped and stripped airliners that formerly shuttled passengers from place to place are now just sitting in scrap yards all over the country and are only valued for their aluminum. Depending on the place, condition, and age of the aircraft, customers are able to pick buy from anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 that would be suitable for conversion to a residential home.[9] Generally the modern airliners are around 100 feet (30 m) and the wing span is somewhere around that, which means that there is a minimum land requirement of about 1-acre (4,000 m2) if yard is desired. In some areas of the country suburban land is available of that size for around $15,000. Once the two items bought the large purchases are out of the way. The next biggest expense is the shipping of the aircraft. It will take several tractor trailer trucks to transport the entire plane when it is dismantled. Depending on the company fares and the length that the plane is being transported the fee will most likely be a few thousand dollars. After the aircraft has been delivered to the property the process can be slowed down a bit. The customer can take however long they need to gut the inside and have the professionals add the systems to the shell. It is best to hire people to do this which will cost some money, but when they are dealing with things like electricity and plumbing, it is better to be safe than sorry. Eventually after all this is completed it will come time to furnish the home. The cost of this largely depends on the furniture that are picked and personal tastes.
[edit]Professional Companies
Since there is not much demand for this kind of a home mainly as it is relatively unknown, there are very few companies that are doing this professionally. They put their planes up on a pole like pivot which allows the plane to spin like a weather vane. The purpose of this is to have the aircraft spin and always face the wind. This allows the plane to hold up to 280 mph (450 km/h) winds without having any problems.The only problem with buying the home from this company is the cost. Customers may either build it themselves and pay around $45,000 or buy the already built house from this company for $315,000. If the customers choice to build the aircraft home themselves there is a lot more customization. They are allowed to make their own floor plan, furnishings, and the set up of the lights and plumbing the way they like
Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association
This Recycling of Used Aircraft Materials, Parts and Assemblies best
management practice is a voluntary standard, and AFRA imposes no
legal obligation for any entity to follow the standard. For entities that
choose to follow the best management practice, AFRA intends to
develop and implement a certification program through which AFRA
will offer to audit and certify a company’s compliance to the BMP.
AFRA maintains copyright in this BMP. AFRA also uses the name of
the Association and the name of this Best Management Practice as valuable commercial marks. No person may advertise that he, she or it has been found by AFRA to be in compliance with this standard unless that person has signed an appropriate contract with AFRA and been found by AFRA to be in compliance with this standard. When a Facility is audited by AFRA for compliance to this BMP, the Facility will be expected to comply with the BMP, but not the Practice GuidesThe Practice Guides are offered as one way, but not the only way, to
meet the requirements of the BMP.Aircraft recycling
About 12,500 aircraft will reach their end-of-life in the next 20 years. The disposal of these aircraft is a major problem, which is why many companies have launched environmental programmes to address it. AFRA, with companies from Africa, Europe, and North America, means to provide an international perspective to assist the industry with the legal, regulatory and technical issues of aircraft recycling, promoting greater cooperation among governments and industries.
Of the 400 to 450 aircraft that are scrapped and disassembled globally each year, around one third of these aircraft are parted out and disassembled by AFRA member companies, producing upwards of 30,000 tons of aluminium and 1,800 tons of other specialty alloy metals for recycling, each year. All in all, AFRA members have dismantled more than 9,000 aircraft, with 7,000 from the commercial sector and 2,000 from the military.
It has been calculated that the market for aircraft parts is approximately $2 billion, but it is AFRA's belief that even greater financial value can be extracted from end-of-life activity.
[edit]History
AFRA was founded in 2005, when 11 companies agreed to join forces to develop an industry code of conduct and industry-developed recommended best practice in the areas of aircraft dismantling and materials recycling. The group's aim was to drive and motivate industry towards solutions for the safe and environmentally most responsible way of managing end-of-life aircraft.
The original 11 members where Air Salvage International, Adherent Technologies, Bartin Group, The Boeing Company, Chateauroux Air Centre, Europe Aviation, Huron Valley Fritz, Milled Carbon, Rolls-Royce and WINGNet.
management practice is a voluntary standard, and AFRA imposes no
legal obligation for any entity to follow the standard. For entities that
choose to follow the best management practice, AFRA intends to
develop and implement a certification program through which AFRA
will offer to audit and certify a company’s compliance to the BMP.
AFRA maintains copyright in this BMP. AFRA also uses the name of
the Association and the name of this Best Management Practice as valuable commercial marks. No person may advertise that he, she or it has been found by AFRA to be in compliance with this standard unless that person has signed an appropriate contract with AFRA and been found by AFRA to be in compliance with this standard. When a Facility is audited by AFRA for compliance to this BMP, the Facility will be expected to comply with the BMP, but not the Practice GuidesThe Practice Guides are offered as one way, but not the only way, to
meet the requirements of the BMP.Aircraft recycling
About 12,500 aircraft will reach their end-of-life in the next 20 years. The disposal of these aircraft is a major problem, which is why many companies have launched environmental programmes to address it. AFRA, with companies from Africa, Europe, and North America, means to provide an international perspective to assist the industry with the legal, regulatory and technical issues of aircraft recycling, promoting greater cooperation among governments and industries.
Of the 400 to 450 aircraft that are scrapped and disassembled globally each year, around one third of these aircraft are parted out and disassembled by AFRA member companies, producing upwards of 30,000 tons of aluminium and 1,800 tons of other specialty alloy metals for recycling, each year. All in all, AFRA members have dismantled more than 9,000 aircraft, with 7,000 from the commercial sector and 2,000 from the military.
It has been calculated that the market for aircraft parts is approximately $2 billion, but it is AFRA's belief that even greater financial value can be extracted from end-of-life activity.
[edit]History
AFRA was founded in 2005, when 11 companies agreed to join forces to develop an industry code of conduct and industry-developed recommended best practice in the areas of aircraft dismantling and materials recycling. The group's aim was to drive and motivate industry towards solutions for the safe and environmentally most responsible way of managing end-of-life aircraft.
The original 11 members where Air Salvage International, Adherent Technologies, Bartin Group, The Boeing Company, Chateauroux Air Centre, Europe Aviation, Huron Valley Fritz, Milled Carbon, Rolls-Royce and WINGNet.
The Original Flyers
The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited[1][2][3] with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. In the two years afterward, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium.[4] This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds.[5][6] From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines.[7] Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before.[8][9] Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.[10]
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.[11] From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first aircraft engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium.[4] This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds.[5][6] From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines.[7] Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before.[8][9] Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.[10]
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.[11] From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first aircraft engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States. North Carolina is known as the Tar Heel State and the Old North State.
North Carolina is composed of 100 counties.[7] Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors.[8][9]
North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US.[10] The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.
North Carolina is composed of 100 counties.[7] Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors.[8][9]
North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US.[10] The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.
JET SPEED
A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as 10,000–15,000 metres (33,000–49,000 ft). At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft achieve their maximum efficiency at much lower altitudes. Some jet aircraft can move faster than sound.
Frank Whittle an English inventor and RAF officer developed the concept of the jet engine in 1928 [1], Hans von Ohain in Germany, a decade later developed the concept independently at the end of the 1930s. He wrote in February 1936 to Ernst Heinkel, telling him of the design and its possibilities. However, it can be argued that the British engineer A. A. Griffith, who published a paper in July 1926 on compressors and turbines, also deserves credit.
A number of jet powerplants were suggested from the first instances of powered flight. René Lorin, Morize, Harris proposed systems for creating a jet efflux.[2] In 1910 the Romanian inventor Henri Coandă filed a patent on a jet propulsion system which used piston-engine exhaust gases to add heat to an otherwise pure air stream compressed by rotating fan blades in a duct.
The "turbojet", was invented in the 1930s, independently by Frank Whittle and later Hans von Ohain. The first turbojet aircraft to fly was the Heinkel He 178 prototype of the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, on August 27, 1939 in Rostock (Germany).[3]
The first flight of a jet engined aircraft to come to popular attention was the Italian Caproni Campini N.1 motorjet prototype that flew on August 27, 1940.[4] It was the first jet aircraft recognised by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (at the time the German He 178 program was still kept secret). Campini had proposed the motorjet in 1932.
The British experimental Gloster E.28/39 first took to the air on May 15, 1941, powered by Sir Frank Whittle's turbojet.[5] After the United States was shown the British work, it produced the Bell XP-59A with a version of the Whittle engine built by General Electric, which flew on October 1, 1942. The Meteor was the first production jet as it entered production a few months before the Me 262.
The first operational jet fighter was the Messerschmitt Me 262,[6] made by Germany during late World War II. It was the fastest conventional aircraft of World War II – although the rocket-powered Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was faster. It had first flown in 1941 but mass production started in 1944 with the first squadrons operational that year, too late for a decisive effect on the outcome of the war. About the same time, mid 1944, the United Kingdom's Gloster Meteor was being committed to defence of the UK against the V1 flying bomb – itself a jet-powered aircraft – and then ground-attack operations over Europe in the last months of the war. In 1944 Germany introduced into service the Arado Ar 234 jet reconnaissance and bomber, though chiefly used in the former role. USSR tested its own Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 in 1942, but the project was scrapped by Joseph Stalin in 1945. The Imperial Japanese Navy also developed jet aircraft in 1945, including the Nakajima J9Y Kikka, a modified, and slightly smaller version of the Me 262 that had retractable wings. By the end of 1945, the US had introduced their next jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star into service and the UK its second fighter design, the de Havilland Vampire
The US introduced the North American B-45 Tornado, their first jet bomber, into service in 1948. Although capable of carrying nuclear weapons it was used for reconnaissance over Korea.
On November 8, 1950, during the Korean War, United States Air Force Lt. Russell J. Brown, flying in an F-80, intercepted two North Korean MiG-15s near the Yalu River and shot them down in the first jet-to-jet dogfight in history.
The UK put the English Electric Canberra into service in 1951 as a light bomber. It was designed to fly higher and faster than any interceptor.
BOAC operated the first commercial jet service, from London to Johannesburg, in 1952 with the de Havilland Comet jetliner. The Comet was initially ahead of rivals, but a series of crashes gave time for the Boeing 707 to enter service in 1958 and dominate the market for civilian airliners.
Turbofan aircraft began entering service in the 1950s and 1960s, and this is the most common type of jet in use today.
The Tu-144 supersonic transport was the fastest commercial jet plane at Mach 2.35 (1,555 mph, 2,503 km/h). It went into service in 1975, but soon stopped flying. The Mach 2 Concorde aircraft entered service in 1976 and flew for 27 years.
The fastest military jet plane was the SR-71 Blackbird at Mach 3.35 (2,275 mph, 3,661 km/h).
Frank Whittle an English inventor and RAF officer developed the concept of the jet engine in 1928 [1], Hans von Ohain in Germany, a decade later developed the concept independently at the end of the 1930s. He wrote in February 1936 to Ernst Heinkel, telling him of the design and its possibilities. However, it can be argued that the British engineer A. A. Griffith, who published a paper in July 1926 on compressors and turbines, also deserves credit.
A number of jet powerplants were suggested from the first instances of powered flight. René Lorin, Morize, Harris proposed systems for creating a jet efflux.[2] In 1910 the Romanian inventor Henri Coandă filed a patent on a jet propulsion system which used piston-engine exhaust gases to add heat to an otherwise pure air stream compressed by rotating fan blades in a duct.
The "turbojet", was invented in the 1930s, independently by Frank Whittle and later Hans von Ohain. The first turbojet aircraft to fly was the Heinkel He 178 prototype of the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, on August 27, 1939 in Rostock (Germany).[3]
The first flight of a jet engined aircraft to come to popular attention was the Italian Caproni Campini N.1 motorjet prototype that flew on August 27, 1940.[4] It was the first jet aircraft recognised by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (at the time the German He 178 program was still kept secret). Campini had proposed the motorjet in 1932.
The British experimental Gloster E.28/39 first took to the air on May 15, 1941, powered by Sir Frank Whittle's turbojet.[5] After the United States was shown the British work, it produced the Bell XP-59A with a version of the Whittle engine built by General Electric, which flew on October 1, 1942. The Meteor was the first production jet as it entered production a few months before the Me 262.
The first operational jet fighter was the Messerschmitt Me 262,[6] made by Germany during late World War II. It was the fastest conventional aircraft of World War II – although the rocket-powered Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was faster. It had first flown in 1941 but mass production started in 1944 with the first squadrons operational that year, too late for a decisive effect on the outcome of the war. About the same time, mid 1944, the United Kingdom's Gloster Meteor was being committed to defence of the UK against the V1 flying bomb – itself a jet-powered aircraft – and then ground-attack operations over Europe in the last months of the war. In 1944 Germany introduced into service the Arado Ar 234 jet reconnaissance and bomber, though chiefly used in the former role. USSR tested its own Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 in 1942, but the project was scrapped by Joseph Stalin in 1945. The Imperial Japanese Navy also developed jet aircraft in 1945, including the Nakajima J9Y Kikka, a modified, and slightly smaller version of the Me 262 that had retractable wings. By the end of 1945, the US had introduced their next jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star into service and the UK its second fighter design, the de Havilland Vampire
The US introduced the North American B-45 Tornado, their first jet bomber, into service in 1948. Although capable of carrying nuclear weapons it was used for reconnaissance over Korea.
On November 8, 1950, during the Korean War, United States Air Force Lt. Russell J. Brown, flying in an F-80, intercepted two North Korean MiG-15s near the Yalu River and shot them down in the first jet-to-jet dogfight in history.
The UK put the English Electric Canberra into service in 1951 as a light bomber. It was designed to fly higher and faster than any interceptor.
BOAC operated the first commercial jet service, from London to Johannesburg, in 1952 with the de Havilland Comet jetliner. The Comet was initially ahead of rivals, but a series of crashes gave time for the Boeing 707 to enter service in 1958 and dominate the market for civilian airliners.
Turbofan aircraft began entering service in the 1950s and 1960s, and this is the most common type of jet in use today.
The Tu-144 supersonic transport was the fastest commercial jet plane at Mach 2.35 (1,555 mph, 2,503 km/h). It went into service in 1975, but soon stopped flying. The Mach 2 Concorde aircraft entered service in 1976 and flew for 27 years.
The fastest military jet plane was the SR-71 Blackbird at Mach 3.35 (2,275 mph, 3,661 km/h).