Aviation history: the milestones that changed everything
Six moments that took us from a first hop of a few meters to the jets that cross oceans every day. Tap a card to see why it matters.
- 1903
Wright Flyer
On December 17, in the US, the Wright brothers fly 37 meters in 12 seconds, using a rail and a headwind to take off.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersIt was the first controlled flight of a powered, heavier-than-air airplane.
The secret was controlling the plane on all three axes by twisting the wings: the same idea as today's ailerons. They flew four times that day; the longest flight covered 260 meters in 59 seconds.
Back ↻ - 1906Brazil
Santos-Dumont's 14-bis
On October 23, in Paris, Santos-Dumont flies about 60 meters in front of the public and an official committee, taking off under its own power.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersIt was the first airplane flight certified by an official body, with no rail or catapult.
On November 12 of the same year, the 14-bis flew 220 meters in 21.5 seconds, the first recognized world aviation record. Santos-Dumont never patented his inventions: he wanted everyone to be able to fly.
Back ↻ - 1927
Crossing the Atlantic
Charles Lindbergh flies solo and nonstop from New York to Paris in 33 and a half hours.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersThe flight proved that airplanes could connect continents and made interest in aviation explode.
The Spirit of St. Louis had a single engine and not even a front window: the extra fuel tank blocked the view, and Lindbergh looked through a periscope. The feat won him the Orteig Prize, worth 25,000 dollars.
Back ↻ - 1952
The commercial jet age
The British de Havilland Comet starts the first scheduled passenger service with a jet aircraft.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersThe jet cut long-haul travel time in half. But the Comet also taught a hard lesson.
In 1954, two Comets broke up in flight due to metal fatigue at the corners of their square windows. The investigations created modern fatigue engineering. That's why airplane windows are rounded.
Back ↻ - 1969Brazil
Concorde, 747 and Embraer
The Concorde and the Boeing 747 fly for the first time. In Brazil, Embraer is founded; today it is the third-largest maker of commercial jets.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersThe 747 doubled the number of seats per plane and brought fares down: traveling abroad stopped being a luxury.
The Concorde carried passengers at Mach 2 for 27 years, from 1976 to 2003. Embraer started with the Bandeirante turboprop and today has jets flying in dozens of countries.
Back ↻ - 2005
Airbus A380
The largest passenger airplane ever built makes its first flight. Production ended in 2021, with 251 aircraft.
Why it matters ↻ Why it mattersThe A380 bet on carrying lots of people between big hub airports, but the market went another way.
It is certified for up to 853 people, although airlines use about 500 seats. Airlines preferred smaller, efficient twin-engine jets, like the 787 and the A350, flying directly between cities. That's why production ended early.
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