Science world's top 10 takeoffs: this December marks the 100th anniversary of powered flight. To celebrate, Science World editors voted on our picks for the last century's 10 most amazing flights. Would they top your list? Check them out and buckle up for takeoff.1 BIRTHDAY BOYS WHY: Without Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle-making brothers from Ohio, you'd spend your vocations in a care screaming "Are we there yet?" WHEN: December 17, 1903 HOW: At Kitty Hawk Kitty Hawk or Kittyhawk, part of an offshore sandbar on Cape Hatteras, NE N.C., E of Albemarle Sound. Nearby is Kill Devil Hill, where the Wright brothers experimented successfully (1900–1903) with gliders and airplanes. , a North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. beach, the Wrights launched the first successful powered flight. It lasted a mere 12 seconds and a distance of 37 meters (120 feet), but it changed history. For power, they outfitted their flying machine--made of spruce and ash, and covered in muslin--with a lightweight engine and propeller. For control, they installed a rudder and devised a system of wing warping Wing warping was an early system for controlling the roll of an aeroplane while flying. The technique, used and patented by the Wright brothers, consisted of a system of pulleys and cables to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions. , or twisting of the wings. This gave the machine lateral control, or stability preventing rolling to one side or another. 2 THE ADVENTURES WHY: Before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin Colonel Buzz Aldrin, Sc.D (born January 20, 1930 as Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr.) is an American pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, the first lunar landing. , visiting the moon was pure science fantasy. WHEN: July 16, 1969 HOW: Apollo 11 launched from Florida and reached lunar orbit In astronomy, lunar orbit (also known as a Selenocentric orbit) refers just to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. See Orbit of the Moon. As used in the space program, this refers not to the orbit of Earth's Moon, but to orbits around that Moon by various manned after 76 hours. One day later, the duo boarded Eagle, a small lunar-landing craft. The historic touchdown: July 20, 4:18 p.m. EST. The astronauts explored for two and a half hours and collected 47 pounds of moon debris. 3 SILENT BUT DEADLY WHY: How do you hide a bomber? WHEN: 1980s HOW: Stealth aircraft had been in development since the 1940s, but the necessary sophisticated technology didn't catch up till the '80s. The top-secret F-117 was unveiled in 1988 and became famous (or infamous) during the Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be in 1991. Two features to avoid detection: Faceted (flat-paneled) surfaces and reflective coating to deflect radar energy away from antennas. Cooling mechanisms prevent thermal (heat) detection. 4 THE REVOLUTIONARY WHY: In the pioneer days of aviation, the skies belonged to daredevils or mail carriers. The DC-3 was the first plane model designed to make passengers No. 1. WHEN: 1936 HOW: Early DC-3s seated 21 and flew at 216 mph. Since they weren't pressurized pres·sur·ize tr.v. pres·sur·ized, pres·sur·iz·ing, pres·sur·iz·es 1. To maintain normal air pressure in (an enclosure, as an aircraft or submarine). 2. , or able to adjust to withstand atmospheric changes at different altitudes, they traveled at a lowly 10,000 ft. While production of DC-3s halted in 1944, many still fly today. 5 THE IDOL WHY: Charles Lindbergh generated global flying fever. WHEN: May 20-21, 1927 HOW: In 1919, a $25,000 prize was established for the first aviator to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean Across the Atlantic Ocean is the twenty-eighth episode[1] of Mobile Suit Gundam. Plot summary Amuro and Sayla manage to reduce their time in docking the Gundam and the G-Fighter to fifteen seconds. . Several pilots failed. Guided by a compass, Lindbergh took off on the Spirit of St. Louis Spirit of St. Louis Charles Lindbergh’s plane. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 287] See : Aviation outside New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . He flew for 5,790 kilometers (3,600 miles) and landed outside Paris 33.5 hours later. 6 THE WORKHORSE WHY: Before the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. , astronauts had to be fished out of water. WHEN: April 12, 1981 HOW: The maiden voyage Noun 1. maiden voyage - the first voyage of its kind; "in 1912 the ocean liner Titanic sank on its maiden voyage" ocean trip, voyage - an act of traveling by water of Columbia kicked off a new era of space exploration: the reusable spacecraft. Since then, NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. has kept its space shuttle fleet busy. Each shuttle can carry a crew of seven and payloads of up to 30,000 kg (65,000 lb). The shuttle has launched, retrieved, or repaired satellites for communications, weather, and defense purposes. It's delivered supplies to astronauts on space stations, and operated as a research lab in space. Two explosions have blemished blem·ish tr.v. blem·ished, blem·ish·ing, blem·ish·es To mar or impair by a flaw. n. An imperfection that mars or impairs; a flaw or defect. the aging fleet's history--Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003. Space shuttle operations have been temporarily suspended. 7 THE STATUS SYMBOL WHY: The speedy Concorde sliced the average 7-hour flight between New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and London in half. The catch: $10,000 for a roundtrip ticket. WHEN: 1976 HOW: Supersonic flight Supersonic flight Relative motion of a solid body and a gas at a velocity greater than that of sound propagation under the same conditions. The general characteristics of supersonic flight can be understood by considering the laws of propagation of a actually began when Chuck Yeager  This page is currently protected from editing until disputes have been resolved. flew faster than the speed of sound, or about 1,100 km/h (700 mph) in 1947. But breaking the sound barrier went commercial with the first Concorde takeoff. The Concorde's mega-powerful engines, along with a sleek body and pointed nose, help the jet cruise at Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, at an altitude between 52,000 and 59,000 ft. This fall, however, the Concorde calls it quits. Despite the hefty passenger ticket price, it costs too much for airlines to operate, repair, and fuel. 8 THE MYSTERY LEGEND WHY: Amelia Earhart met every aviation challenge with bravery and style. WHEN: June 17-18, 1928 HOW: She stunned the world by becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. And she decorated her career with many more speed, altitude, and solo records-including the first solo flight The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. between Honolulu, Hawaii For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. “Honolulu” redirects here. For other uses, see Honolulu (disambiguation). Honolulu is the capital as well as the most populous community of the State of Hawaii, United States. , and Oakland, California “Oakland” redirects here. For other uses, see Oakland (disambiguation). Oakland (IPA: /ˈoʊklənd/), founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in the U.S. . Earhart often flew clad in a high-style suit or dress. However, her plane vanished on July 2, 1937, en route from New Guinea New Guinea (gĭn`ē), island, c.342,000 sq mi (885,780 sq km), SW Pacific, N of Australia; the world's second largest island after Greenland. to Howland Island, while attempting a round-the-world trip. Neither her plane nor body has been found. 9 THE HEAVYWEIGHT WHY: Otherwise, your extended family would have to schlep schlep or schlepp also shlep Slang v. schlepped also shlepped, schlep·ping or schlepp·ing also shlep·ping, schleps or schlepps also shleps v.tr. on separate planes to get to a reunion. WHEN: February 9, 1969 HOW: Air travel boomed in the 1960s, To satisfy demand, Boeing decided to drum up a plane model that could carry around 400 passengers. First, Boeing built a 200-million-cubic-foot assembly plant in Everett, Washington (world's largest building by volume). More than 50,000 people were employed--and 75,000 engineering drawings and 4.5 million parts later, the first "Jumbo" 747 rolled out. 10 THE DAREDEVIL WHY: Felix Baumgartner strapped on 1.8 m (6 ft)-long carbon fiber wings and flew across the English Channel Wow! WHEN: July 31, 2003 HOW: The 34-year-old dived out of a Diane at 30,000 ft above Dover. England, freefalling at a top speed of 360 km/h (224 mph). Eighteen miles and 6 minutes 22 seconds later. Baumgartner tugged open his parachute to land in Calais, France. FLIGHT CHECK Do you know answers to these questions? 1 Why do you hear the boom of a supersonic plane? 2 Can you name one of four forces that make planes fly? 3 What's an airfoil? Stuck? Turn the page to find out. SONIC BOOM The Concorde is one loud plane. When a supersonic Jet flies toward you, you can't hear it. That's because it travels faster than sound waves. But when the sound follows, it arrives as a shock wave that produces an extremely loud hang, or sonic boom. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOW PLANES FLY Planes rely on four aerodynamic forces to fly: The wing is designed in a curved-on-top shape called an airfoil. Air flows faster over the curve, which exerts less pressure than the slower air below the wing. The greater pressure below exerts an upward force, or lift, causing the plane to rise. Lift's opposite force is the weight of the plane itself. If these forces are at equilibrium, the plane flies at a constant altitude. Thrust is the force exerted by the propeller. It pushes air back to move the plane forward. Drag, on the other hand, resists the air to hold back. Thrust and drag determine a plane's speed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HANDS ON: MAKE AN AIRFOIL How does a wing's shape help a plane stay in the air? Make your own wing to find out. YOU NEED: 1 sheet of 8.5 x 11 in. paper * scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends * ruler * stapler sta·pler 1 n. One who deals in staple goods or staple fibers. stapler Noun a device used to fasten things together with a staple Noun 1. * pencil TO DO: 1. Cut a strip of paper 8.5 x 3 in. 2. Place sheet so that the long side lies vertical. Draw a line 3.5 in. up from one end of the strip. 3. Crease the paper along the line. 4. Bring both ends of the paper together. Use one staple to hold the ends. There should be a flat side, a curved side--like the shape of the letter D--and a hole in the middle. 5. Put a pencil through the hole and let the airfoil hang with the stapled side down and the flat side facing you. 6. Blow on the crease. What happens? 7. Turn the airfoil so the curved side faces you. Blow on the crease. Observe. 8. Compare Steps 6 and 7. CONCLUSION: What makes the airfoil rise? How is that like what happens when an airplane flies? TAKE IT FURTHER: Research and report on how a helicopter flies. Did You Know? * On December 18, 1903, the day after the first powered flight, only three U.S. newspapers reported the Wright brothers' achievement. And they thought it was largely fabricated. * Felix Baumgartner's trip across the English Channel was no thoughtless stunt. It took three years of preparation, along with many design and testing sessions with engineers. To survive the thinner atmosphere in high altitude and at -42[degrees]C (-43.6[degrees]F), Baumgartner wore a special suit with an oxygen supply. * Charles Lindbergh's plane Spirit of St. Louis was named in honor of the nine St. Louis businessmen who financed its construction. Cross-Curricular Connection History: Who was Sir George Cayley? Research and report on his contributions to aviation. Critical Thinking: Powered flight changed the course of history. Have students discuss how their lives would be different if planes had not been invented. Start by referring to simple and obvious services, like no more airmail airmail, transport of mail by airplanes. Demonstration flights that showed the feasibility of carrying mail by air were made in Great Britain and in the United States in 1911. . Then progress to more sophisticated associations. For example: Cell phones rely on satellite technology launched into space by rockets or space shuttles, which came after the invention of airplanes. The U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission's home page: www.centennialofflight.gov/index.cfm The Federal Aviation Administration's Aviation Education Outreach: www1.faa.gov/education/index.htm Smithsonian Air and Space Museum: www.nasm.si.edu/ Daredevil Felix Baumgartner's Home Page: www.felixbaumgartner.com/ The official Amelia Earhart Web site: www.ameliaearhart.com/ The Wright Brothers and the Invention of the Aerial Age by Tom D. Crouch and Peter L. Jakab, National Geographic, 2003 Top 10, Takeoffs Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. What did Orville and Wilbur Wright accomplish 100 years ago? 2. What is an airfoil? 3. Name the four basic aerodynamic forces that help planes fly. 4. What causes a sonic boom? 5. Name two features that help a stealth bomber avoid detection. Essay Writing: What do you think is the most important event in flight history? State at least three reasons why and include research to support your reasoning. ANSWERS 1. The Wright brothers launched the first powered flight 100 years ago. 2. An airfoil is the curved-on-top shape of an airplane wing. 3. The four basic aerodynamic forces are lift, weight, thrust, and drag. 4. When an aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound, you can't hear it as it approaches. That's because it's traveling faster than sound waves. But when the sound finally arrives, it produces an extremely loud bang. This is called sonic boom. 5. Two features that help a stealth aircraft avoid detection: Faceted surfaces and reflective coating deflect radar energy away from antennas. Cooling mechanisms prevent thermal detection. |
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