Questions tagged [aviation-history]
Questions about aviation history, starting from kites, balloons, airplanes, helicopters and rockets.
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Who was the first person to break the sound barrier?
While watching this video on Wikipedia of Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 in level flight, I noticed the narrator say: "For the first time, except in dive, a man has flown ...
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What was the penultimate flight of the TCA plane that crashed near Vancouver in 1947?
In his 1975 book An Almanac of Words at Play, Willard R. Espy recounts the following:
En route from Montreal to Vancouver in 1947, we sat down in Calgary, where a wire from my boss changed my ...
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Is it correct to say that the expected behaviour at a Fly-by/Fly-over waypoint derives from when there was no GPS, but rather just VOR/DMEs?
I was re-looking at Fly-by/Fly-over waypoints:
and discussing with a colleague the topic of how these came about.
Is it correct that this definitions were put in place so that a human pilot could fly ...
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What is Mode B on the transponder?
Mode A selected on the transponder provides identification of the aircraft to the secondary radar; Mode C will add an automatic height read-out of an aircraft. Mode S is a selective addressing. But ...
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Are there other examples of Brown-Stigler incident?
I have just finished reading A Higher Call and wondered if there are other cases where a pilot showed his mercy to the foe when they are in desperate situation. Looked through several B17 related-webs,...
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Did WW2-era aircraft have constant-speed or variable-pitch props?
This is slightly related to my other question on variable-pitch controls.
I want to know if WW2-era aircraft typically had variable-pitch or constant-speed propellers. Variable-pitch lets the pilot ...
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Could "Lady Be Good" Incident Prevented by the Technology of its Time?
For those who don't know, Wiki page of the incident sums up. I don't have much knowledge about communication systems of WWII, but I know how radio communication work. This page has
The aircraft flew ...
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What plane was most likely used for this TWA transatlantic flight in 1954?
This is the manifest for my grandaunt (she is #9). She most likely took a train from Paris to Croatia to visit her mother. The family was not wealthy, so this was an extravagant expense for them.
Can ...
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How did the term PAN PAN originate?
Where did the phrase "pan-pan", used when declaring an emergency, originate?
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How did novice pilots hit the Twin Towers?
I know people don't like discussing this, and I don't ask out of morbid curiousity. But conspiracy theories will naturally arise about such great and consequential events, and I don't think it's fair ...
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Has any aircraft in history ever pulled 7g for 15 or more seconds?
According to this post "no aircraft has ever pulled 7g for two seconds"
If the interpretation of the video is correct, has any aircraft in history ever pulled 7g for fifteen seconds?
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What is the slowest fixed-wing airplane?
It's easy to find information about the fastest airplanes, in different categories (e.g. X-15, SR-71, the Concorde etc), but what is the slowest one? Which powered, manned airplane is capable of ...
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What was the first law requiring licensing or certification for pilots?
What was the first law passed by a government (e.g. not a private organization's policy) requiring some kind of licensing or certifications for civilian pilots?
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What did Yeager think of Boyd?
According to tweets posted on August 19, 2016, on July 17, 2017 and on March 15, 2018, I am tempted to conclude that Chuck Yeager did not think too highly of John Boyd and his theories — e.g., OODA, ...
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Which aircraft have fought against its own type in active combat?
The criteria for this question are
The aircraft has to be the same type (but not necessarily the same mark)
The two opposing sides are actively hostile; but not restricted to nation states (so civil ...
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Were there any planes used in WWII that were able to shoot their own tail?
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there's a scene where Indiana is piloting a plane and his father is acting as gunner. While shooting at incoming enemy planes, he accidentally shoots his own ...
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Does anyone know more about the 1958 Heinkel-211 project?
Industria Aeronáutica Argentina worked in the 50s in a Jet airliner, Kurt Tank design, the IA-36, 'Cóndor', with simmilarities to 1958 Heinkel-211 project, turbines intake aspirating fuselage boundary ...
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Historical Number of Aircraft in Service (by Airline)
I am looking for historical data on the number of commercial passenger aircraft in service, ideally with additional information on the associated airline.
My search so far has turned up one scientific ...
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Why did two of the development Concordes have red cabin doors?
The second British Concorde 101 G-AXDN at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow
(Photo by: Richard Vandervord source: www.airliners.net via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Three of the six development ...
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Energy Maneuverability Theory Applied to WW1 Fighters
I am trying to test the Fokker D.VII, Spad S.XIII, Sopwith Camel, Nieuport 28, and the Se5a using the model in this paper:
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA066034.pdf
It's called Combat Performance ...
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Are there any variable-diameter propellers?
Have there been any known tests or prototypes of variable-diameter propellers?
There's this paywalled paper from 2014 that seems to have made a virtual prototype model, have there been any physical ...
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How much did Avgas cost in 1940?
I am interested in historic fuel prices;
How much did Avgas cost in 1940?
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What was the first programmable computer used in a flight-related role on an aircraft?
What was the first programmable digital computer, or device containing a programmable digital computer, used on an aircraft or spacecraft for a purpose related to flight? To use modern devices as an ...
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Why do acronyms aviation often have words in orders unusual?
"Airplane Single Engine Land" (rather than "Single Engine Land Airplane"
"Certified Flight Instructor Instrument" (rather than "Certified Instrument Flight ...
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Private Plane security United States 1975
in 1975 Famous Teamster Boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared after being picked up at a local restaurant.
One of the theories is that men from New Jersey boarded a plane, landed in Detroit, and assisted with ...
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When did the United States stop issuing pilot "licenses" (and start issuing "certificates")?
The first document issued by the US federal government authorizing a person to fly an aircraft was issued on April 6, 1927 by the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce, and it is called a ...
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What was Boeing's competitor to the C-5?
Doing some of my airplane learning, I have come across a point many times that the engines for the Boeing 747 (at least partially) came from Boeing's competitor to the C-5 Galaxy. What was this plane ...
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Was the first US government-issued pilot license issued in 1927 or '28?
The top image says it was issued April 6, 1928, while the bottom one says April 6, 1927. Are these two different documents issued a year apart, or is there a discrepancy?
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Is it possible to use Morse code for communication?
Let's say your radio fails, but luckily you brought your keychain Morse code transmitter as a backup! Is there any way to use it?
ICAO defines Q-codes for aviation use. Q-codes were initially ...
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Does a full set of legible structural engineering drawings for the Hughes H-4 Hercules still exist?
I am not looking for unreadable images or pictures of images, but a fully legible copy or print.
I have found a reference to a set of drawings at UNLV however no contact info nor a department to ...
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Would the Gee Bee be allowed to fly today, with so little forward visibility?
When looking at the Gee Bee:
Source
I wonder what the pilot is actually able to see, when rolling on the runway, when flying level, or trying to locate a possible emergency landing place. It seems ...
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What is the history of the aircraft logbook?
I need to know when the mandate to maintain a logbook started. Was it a US requirement, or was it from another regulator in the world? Did the aircraft logbook start at the same time as the pilot ...
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What is the origin of the ‘six pack’ flight instrument arrangement?
I was wondering who came up with the modern ‘six pack’ flight instrument arrangement, when I realized that the old British blind instrument flying panel that was the standard across many airplane ...
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Why has structural efficiency (OEW / MTOW) not improved despite increasing use of carbon fiber?
Where can I find information on the weight breakdown of civil aircraft? I am interested primarily in trying to understand why structural efficiency (OEW/MTOW) has not improved despite increasing use ...
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Were European single-engine fighters considered superior to U.S. designs at the start of WW2?
There was a wide consensus in U.S. military circles about 1940 that U.S. pursuit fighters were substantially less capable in terms of performance than their equivalent European counterparts. ...
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Were contrails different in the 80s?
My parents insist they remember contrails being significantly shorter around 1980s.
From my research it seems this might be the result of several factors such as climate change, advancements in ...
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Who was the first person to fly above 20,000 feet, and what aircraft was used?
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You ...
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Why did the F-104 Starfighter have a T-tail?
The F-104 Starfighter was launched in 1954, nine years after WWII. It had short stubby wings and a T-tail. According to wiki, the short stubby wings caused inertia coupling and the T-tail reduced this....
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Is it common for aircraft tugs to work from under the aircraft?
I came across this photo showing a tug attached in a way I have never seen before. I assume it was used to allow the aircraft closer to the terminal.
Did this require special equipment or ...
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Is there an aerodynamic benefit of covering the underside of wings?
What is the nature and extent to the benefit of covering up the bottom of an airfoil?
It seems like all the early airplanes just had ribs and spars that were wrapped only on top, but then pretty soon ...
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Aircraft progress: Evolution or design? [closed]
This video of a Curtiss Pusher is stunning. Had I been around when it was new, I would have stopped there!
Question: What processes led to the aircraft of today?
...
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How was altitude calculated before the invention of the altimeter?
I just read David McCollough's "The Wright Brothers," and was surprised to find several references to the exact altitude attained by various Wright airplanes. For example, on page 235:
The ...
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Who was the third person to fly a powered airplane?
The first person to fly a powered airplane was Orville Wright on December 17, 1903. The second was Wilbur Wright on that same day.
The Wright Flyer was destroyed before anyone else flew it. The Wright ...
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Why was the A340 developed with four engines?
The predecessor to the A340 program begun in 1982, when Airbus released the first specification of the designated TA9 and TA11 programmes and in 1986 the TA9/TA11 programmes were officially launched ...
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How did SR-71 spy, flying at 80,000 ft and 3500 km/h?
The SR-71 Blackbird is a famous supersonic reconnaissance/spy aircraft, undoubtedly one of the most amazing flying machines ever. Now, with the capabilities it had:
Maximum speed: Mach 3.3 (2,200+ ...
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Why was the minimum turbulence intensity that commercial airliners have to withstand increased?
From 50 fps turbulence intensity at VC to 90-100 fps turbulence intensity at VC. The amended FAR design criteria was introduced in 1980 or 1981 for commercial airliners. What prompted this change?
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Why was Concorde never sold as a private business jet?
Airliners like Boeing 747 and even Airbus 380 are at times considered as personal jets for extremely wealthy people. Looking from the side, Concorde was ideal for this role: while not very big, it ...
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Why (and when) did people start meowing on guard frequency?
meow
Some love it, some hate it, but we've all heard it - that's right, pilots meowing on guard frequency (121.5).
When did it start? Does (or did) it represent something?
Does ATC ever do it?
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Why did some aircraft use hand-crank instead of gravity for alternate gear extension?
I wondered whether the final scene in The Memphis Belle where they hurry to extend the gear by hand crank (because their electric system failed) is realistic, but according to this answer the B-17 ...
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Could the Wright Flyer II takeoff without wind?
The Wright Flyer II could reach about 20 mph of airspeed on the track alone. The aircraft needed an airspeed of about 30 mph to make a proper takeoff (without hanging in ground effect). Before the ...
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