Airplanes are remarkable feats of engineering. Early pioneers like George Cayley studied birds to learn more about how an airplane could achieve lift and how it could stay in flight. Now, airplanes are used to safely transport millions of people around the world.
The very first official successful test flight was on December 17, 1903 when Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur built the Wright Flyer, which took off near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The historic first flight lasted only 12 seconds and covered 120 feet.
Do you know why plane windows are round instead of square? Curved edges help with the intense air pressure that airplanes experience. It helps prevent the windows from cracking during flight.
The term airplane is often shortened to just “plane”. An airplane moves through the air with the help of its engine and wings. The wings are shaped so that air flows over them and lifts them off the ground. This is different from other flying objects, like hot air balloons that are lifted by gases or helicopters that are lifted by spinning blades.
