The invention of the airplane was a fundamental turning point in
history. It redefined the way we fought our wars; revolutionized
travel and commerce; fueled the process of technological change; and
helped to shape a world in which the very survival of a nation would
depend on its scientific and technical prowess. Flight is, and will
continue to be, one of humankind's most significant accomplishments.
This section features brief essays that describe significant events
in aviation history, arranged chronologically on a timeline.
Visitors to our Web site will be able to access hundreds of essays
on aerospace topics; a rich collection of images; a timeline of
significant aviation events; and a dictionary of persons, places,
and things that are important to understanding the history of
aviation and aerospace.
For classroom use, the essays and dictionary entries have been
generally correlated to the national learning and curriculum
standards in mathematics, science, technology, and history. This
material can be used to enhance existing curricula and serve as the
foundation for several new learning tracts.