Added: 06/29/2005 |
Aircrafts ? The Birds of SteelIt is impossible to imagine the modern world without possibility of flying. Marco Polo has spent a lot of forces, money and time to perform a worldwide journey by sea, however, you could do this with minimal costs in certain days or even hours, just sitting in comfortable salon of an airliner enjoying delicious meal or watching an interesting film on personal video display.
It is a result of the long way of flying technology development. The starting point of this way is Leonardo da Vinci work, dedicated to constructing a glider in the 15th century. However, this glider was never built by Leonardo, it was replicated in nowadays and was flyable. But the first flight was made in 1763, when two men were lifted up with balloon, filled with hot air which was invented by brothers Montgolfier. Louis Bleriot, Otto Lilienthal, Wright brothers, Octave Chanute and Ferdinand von Zepellin are also significant figures in aviation history.
The invention of jet aircraft was a kind of revolution, like aircraft invention itself. From this point the world became much smaller, than before. In 1952 De Havilland Comet was the first passenger jet airliner ever launched. However, due to many problems with its usage, the fame of first generation of jets is owned by Boeing 707. These aircrafts, which could finally fly for 5000 kilometers with speed of 1000 miles per hour, created both the concept of world as 'small village' and the common image of modern commercial airlines.
Some kind of evolution peak was the world-famous supersonic airliner Concorde. Despite its speed, however, Concorde has many disadvantages, the main of which are: limited possibility to break sound barrier (this could be done only during flights above oceans), high level of fuel hunger and limited amount of passengers, carried during one flight. This made Concorde very expensive for Air France and British Airways - two only Concorde operators, and the second main reason to run it was that Concorde seemed to be the safest airliner in the world.
Unfortunately the tragedy in Gonesse, France where in June 25, 2000 Air France Flight 4590, performed by Concorde, finished by plane crash and death of every person on board, proved the opposite. This event became the end of commercial usage of Concorde. Even after routes reopening in 2001, where improved Concords were used, in 2003 supersonic airliner was fully retired by both of its operators.
The 21st century is a bright time for passenger aircrafts. For example, long-timed record of the highest capacity, carried until now by Boeing 747, now is overwhelmed by Airbus A380, a new large capacity airliner. Boeing 777 was the first airliner designed with computer program, by not only Boeing engineers, but also by airlines' specialists and air travelers' participations. Also not only air, but space traveling as well is announced to be possible and comfortable. All these facts promise a great future for vehicles, making all these great ways of vacations possible for travelers and tourists.
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