subject: Who Invented The Airplane? [print this page] Flight has always been a dream of many humans since the civilization started. The early airplane, which was fixed wing aerial vehicle able to be controlled like a bird, capable of taking off, maneuver in any direction through air and land safely again had been a challenge. This first flight was heavier that ultimately decided the inventors name.
Far back in the 10th century in the Islamic Spain, Abbas ibn Firnas a scholar who was favored in Cordoba, an enlightened city of that time, successfully invented wooden wings covered in bird feathers, then jumping from the tower of a mosque and successfully glided to the ground although the landing was shaky. In spite of gliding only for a short distance, ibn Firnas is well known as the first human to fly successfully.
Gliding from an elevated spot to the ground is definitely different from taking off from ground with power to achieve flight. Leonardo da Vinci was the next person who seriously thought about making it possible, he designed a vehicle similar to a corkscrew with a seat. Scientists of modern era calculated the deficiencies of his flying machine that was able to fly high. Unluckily, da Vincis flying machine was never made.
In early 1900s, Orville and Wilbur Wright known as Wright brothers were inspired by Percy Pilcher and Otto Lilienthal who were the pioneers of gliding. The two brothers attempted to design an airplane which would have complete control over the flight rather than gliding in the direction of the wind. The Wright brothers had successfully tested their airplane in 1903 which flew only for a limited time of 12 seconds. However by the end of the day, the flying time had increased to 59 seconds and more than a height of 850 feet.
There is controversy regarding the claims of Wright Brothers invention of airplane. Many historians have claimed that although their accomplishments were amazing but they were nothing more than just gliding and should not be considered as the first real flight. Many consider a Brazillian named Alberto Santos Dumont as the successful airplane inventor in 1906 for flying fixed wing plane.
Both Wright Brothers and Santos-Dumont are disputed by others as the first flyers and refer Clement Ader of France as the one who flew a plane named Eole in 1890. His first flight only flew to a short height of only 12 inches and 50 meters in distance, however by 1892 the plane was improved and flew at a height of 2 feet and distance of more than 200 meters. The Wright Brothers are favored as a result of consensus for being the first to fly but it seems that the arguments will never settle.
