1911: William Hart
The First Australian Pilot Licence William Hart started his career as a dentist, and became the first “qualified” Australian pilot. He was awarded Australian aviator’s licence No. 1. His first record flight, in 1911, was from Penrith to Parammatta Park (near Sydney), a distance of about 29km. This flight took 19 minutes. The following year an American, Eugene “Wizard” Stone, challenged William to a race...
1911-1914: Circuit of Britain Air Race
An early air race organised by the Daily Mail newspaper in England. Here is some movie footage… Daily Mail – 1913 “The first prize is the sum of £5,000 to the first person who shall pilot a waterplane of entirely British invention and construction round England, Scotland, and Wales—and, so far as Ireland is -concerned, within one mile of Kingstown Harbour—in seventy-two continuous hours, starting and finishing...
1909: Louis Bleriot
In 1909 Louis Bleriot was the first person to fly an airplane across the English Channel, a stretch of water about 20 miles (30 kilometres) across. By doing this, Belriot won a prize of 1000 pounds, a very large amount in those days. This video is in French, but shows actual film from Bleriot’s crossing in 1909…...
1908: Henri Farman
In 1908 Henri Farman, a Frenchman, was the first person to be officially recorded as flying a distance of one kilometre. He went on to set many records, including flying the first airplane to carry 3...
1903: The Wright Brothers
Orville Wright’s first flight lasted 12 seconds and he travelled 120 feet (37 metres, about 3/4 the length of an Olympic swimming pool). He and his brother Wilbur took turns and they gradually flew farther. These first flights took place at some sand dunes near the town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in the United States of America, on December 3rd, 1903. This video will give you an idea of these crazy guys and their amazing...
1891: Otto Lilienthal
Glider Pioneer Otto was one of the most courageous fathers of modern flight. Before the Wright Brothers ever thought to build the first powered plane brave men like Otto were learning about flying by building and flying experimental gliders. Many lessons were learned that later helped people like the Wrights. Otto did not have other people to copy to learn how to build his gliders. In fact, Otto and his brother Gustav learned many of...
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