Seasons & Episodes
By the Seat of Their Pants
Using Lilienthal's glider research, the Wright brothers achieved controlled flight. The French reacted with renewed effo
Every Day a Better Design
Aviators separated into two groups: the airplane designer/builders and those who tried to master the art of flying. Whil
Flying Aces, War in the Air
WW1 gave the airplane a job, soon the battlefields were full of unarmed aircraft, peering down at the trenches, then car
Flying Entrepreneurs
After the war, seasoned pilots who had once dueled with an enemy over the trenches, now performed aerobatics for spectat
Flying the Mail
Airmail pioneers demonstrated that airplanes had a bright commercial future. The variety of aircraft was dazzling -- any
Backyard Fliers: An Airplane in Every Garage
In the 1920s when just about anyone could afford a car, interest grew in a safe, inexpensive airplane that anyone could
First in Speed: Air Racing
From the early years of flight until the late 1930s, air racing was the single most important testing ground for enginee
Bigger is Better
During the 1920's and 30's, designers believed that bigger is better. Airline companies were formed, requiring larger, m
Fighters Between the Wars
Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan redefined the arts of aerial warfare with their revolutionary aircraft designs. As the s
Testing Under Fire
The first German WW2 air attacks destroyed most old biplane fighters. The Allies responded with new monoplane designs. B
New Generation of Flyers
American industry entered the competition to create the world's best fighter -- one that was faster and carried more arm
Air Battles At Sea
Light, maneuverable and capable of flying long distances, the Japanese Zero was the ideal air weapon for the island hopp
Flash of Glory: Aerial Combat Enters the Jet Age
During WWII, the Messerschmitt 262, and the Gloster Meteor were introduced. With these first operational jet fighters, a
The Helicopter: From Dreams to Reality
In the 1920's, early auto gyros made breakthroughs in rotating wing design, and by the 1930's military interest propelle
Air Forts Of The War
The World War II bombers were capable of delivering an arsenal of destruction. Aerial warfare became a team effort that
First Jets
When jet engines appeared, a whole new set of problems appeared with them. For pilots, the early jets were a nightmare.
Airliners: Passengers Join The Jet Age
WW2 aviation advances such as hard runways, large long range aircraft and cabin pressurization set the stage for growing
The Big Bombers
Development of jet engines and the tensions of the Cold War pushed development of long-range bombers that could fly arou
Jet Fighters: Wings Of Lightening
The U.S. and Russia rivalry developed jet fighters with fantastic speeds and high tech weapons. Computers were unseen co
General Aviation: Barnstormers To Businessmen
Flying for sport, business, agriculture or photo survey, a fleet of mostly single-engine planes comprises the fastest gr
Supersonic Bombers: The Elusive Search
In the early 1960's, the U.S. Strategic Air Command wanted high-flying supersonic bombers like the B-58 Hustler and the
Locusts Of War
The helicopter took on an offensive role for the Vietnam War. Bristling with cannons, rockets and guided missiles, creat
Attack Aircraft
When a fighter or bomber strikes ground forces, it is acting as an attack aircraft. Many fighters can play this role, bu
Faster Than The Eye And Higher Than The Sky
From the early days of flight, the military looked behind enemy lines with better and better spy planes. After the top s
Experiments In Flight
Chuck Yeager's X-1 flight through the "sound barrier" set the stage for the U.S. experimental X-program, a systematic ex
Rocket Aircraft
In the 1920s, aircraft designers began searching for ways to incorporate the powerful propulsion of rockets into their f
Whirling Wings - Evolution of the Rotorhead
From Cierva's breakthrough in autogyro design, to the state-of-the-art BK-117, the heart of the helicopter story has bee
Water Birds - Floatplanes and Flying Boats
By the 1930s, flying boats – massive, airborne ocean liners – opened up global routes for passenger service, while t
Jump to the Sky - Jet VTOL
Conventional airplanes need large runways for takeoff and landing, a limitation that concerned defense planners. As turb
Tail First Flying - the Canard
When the small tail surface wings which enable an airplane to go up or down are moved to the front, they are called cana
First Around The World
Many times in aviation history the ultimate test of aircraft and pilot was to fly around the world. Competition and show
Flying Blind
In the early days of flying, instrumentation was crude. A weighted silk stocking tied to a strut could help the pilot ga
Flying Wings
In their quest for flight efficiency, some designers thought the ideal shape would be just a wing, nothing else, flying
Flight Control - Wing Warping to Fly-by-Wire
Two years after the first manned flight, the Wrights mastered control sufficiently to fly the first circle – a major a
Flash Of Glory - Aerial Combat Enters The Jet Age
During WWII, the Germans introduced the Messerschmitt 262, and the British the Gloster Meteor. With these first operatio
Flying the Mail
Airmail pioneers demonstrated to a public already infatuated with flying, that airplanes had a bright commercial future.
Backyard Fliers - An Airplane In Every Garage
In the 1920s when just about anyone could afford a car, interest grew in a safe, inexpensive airplane that anyone could
First In Speed: Air Racing
From the early years of flight until the late 1930s, air racing was the single most important testing ground for enginee
Propellers - Wings With A Twist
The Wright brothers realized that a propeller was a rotating wing – giving it a twist made it practical. By the mid 19
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