…flight control is called the visual flight rule, in which pilots fly with visual ground reference and a “see and be seen” flight rule. In congested airspace all pilots must obey the instrument flight rule; that is, they must depend principally on the information provided by the plane’s instruments for…
…and aircraft can operate under visual flight rules (VFR), operational capacity increases from the lowest level, crossed runways, through the closed V and open V configurations. However, in poor visibility or under certain conditions of very heavy air traffic, aircraft must operate under the strict instructions and rules of air…
aviation, the development and operation of heavier-than-air aircraft. The term military aviation refers to the development and use of military aircraft, while the term civil aviation refers to all nonmilitary aviation, such as air transportation provided by airlines or the carrying of cargo by commercial aircraft.
Wright brothersOrville Wright making the first powered flight in a heavier-than-air craft, on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, with his brother Wilbur running alongside.
The first objects to fly that carried people were balloons, which were pioneered in France by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. Some of the basic scientific principles of heavier-than-air flight were laid down in England in the early 19th century by Sir George Cayley. In the 1890s Otto Lilienthal of Germany became the first person to make and fly successful gliders. The American brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright were inspired by Lilienthal and by 1902 had developed a fully practical biplane (double-winged) glider that could be controlled in every direction. Fitting a small engine and two propellers to another biplane, the Wrights on December 17, 1903, made the world’s first successful human-carrying engine-powered heavier-than-air flight at a site near Kitty Hawk, on the coast of North Carolina.
Sopwith CamelPilot Maj. William Barker standing beside his Sopwith Camel airplane during World War I, 1918.
The Wright brothers’ success soon inspired successful aircraft designs and flights by others, and World War I (1914–18) further accelerated the expansion of aviation. Though initially used for aerial reconnaissance, aircraft were soon fitted with machine guns to shoot at other aircraft and with bombs to drop on ground targets; military aircraft with these types of missions and armaments became known, respectively, as fighters and bombers.
Airbus A380The world's largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380, which can carry 853 passengers, on its demonstration flight at the Singapore Airshow in 2008.
By the 1920s the first small commercial airlines had begun to carry mail, and the increased speed and range of aircraft made possible the first nonstop flights over the world’s oceans, poles, and continents. In the 1930s more efficient monoplane (single-wing) aircraft with an all-metal fuselage (body) and a retractable undercarriage became standard. Aircraft played a vitally important role in World War II (1939–45), developing in size, weight, speed, power, range, and armament. The war marked the high point of piston-engined propeller craft while also introducing the first aircraft with jet engines, which could fly at higher speeds. Jet-engined craft became the norm for fighters in the late 1940s and proved their superiority as commercial transports beginning in the ’50s. The high speeds and low operating costs of jet airliners led to a massive expansion of commercial air travel in the second half of the 20th century. In the early 21st century, improved electronic technology led to the development of remotely operated or autonomous robot aircraft called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones.
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "aviation". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/technology/aviation. Accessed 19 May 2025.
