1903 Wrightflyer
The 1903 Wrightflyer was completed and successfully
Propulsion
Propulsion Today
The Wright Brothers
There are many new devices in which propulsion is used in today. The most interesting is a device called: Thermoplastic Urethane Shank. It is used in APL basketball sneakers to provide a maximization in vertical leap. Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) have created a ''Load 'N Launch'' technology which can add up to an additional 3.5 inches to your vertical leap. How the Thermoplastic Urethane Shank works with propulsion: In the load sequence, the APL's ''Load 'N Launch" system relies upon an integrated response curve that begins the instant an athlete starts the jumping process. As the athlete applies force to the front of the foot during the load sequence in preparation for liftoff, the ''Load 'N Launch'' forefoot device and the high-rebound EVA mid sole compress in unison. This action generates an enormous amount of energy exerted downward into the device. Small air pockets in the "Load 'N Launch'' technology system take the energy exerted by the Thermoplastic Urethane Shank and use the compression of the air to lift you off. Which is propulsion.
Inventions
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, flew their first successful flight at 10:35 a.m on December 17 1903 for 12 over 120 feet of ground. The flight was conducted on Kill Devil Hill just outside Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This was the very first flight by a manned, controlled, heavier-than-air aircraft that flew under it's own power.
The three-axis control system they invented is still used to day. They received their first US patent for this control mechanism.
Orville and Wilbur had two helper brothers Reuchlin (1861-1920) and Lorin (1862-1939) and one younger sister Katherine (1874-1929). Their parents were Bishop Milton Wright (1828-1917) and Susan Catherine (Keorner) Wright (1831-1889). Their father worked as a minister for different churches, and for him to do such the family frequently moved around.
In 1885-1886 Wilbur became withdraw when he get a facial injury during a game of ice-hockey. This injury and the depression that was a result caused Wilbur to give up his dreams of studying at Yale and he instead stayed at home helping his father with menial tasks and taking care of his ill mother. Orville however stayed determine and used his projects to help draw Wilbur out.
In 1889 they designed and built a printing press which, for a short time., published the daily paper.
In 1892 they opened a bicycle shop that helped develop their engineer skills.
At the turn of the century they developed a great interest in flight and began to build and experiment.
Propulsion Experiment
By Ben, Yvonne, and Ian
History of Propulsion
For our propulsion experiment we are trying to figure out weather or not one balloon filled with air will travel as far, further, or less further than two or more balloons tied to the same object. We took a 60 foot long string and tied it to two objects 60 feet apart. We slid a drinking straw onto one end of the string, blew up a balloon and taped it to the drinking straw. Once the air was released the balloon and the straw traveled almost the whole 60 feet of the string. Now we want to figure out weather or not adding more balloons to the same straw will pull the straw further, the same length, or maybe even less further than with just one balloon. And after the experiment we tested with two balloons and found out that with two balloons it went less than one balloon.
The history of Propulsion is a very long timeline of history. It has been around for two thousand years. The first ever flying machine that people could ride in was built in 1796 in France, and was a reconnaissance balloon for the French. It is the oldest existing flying device to date.
Future of Propulsion/Aviation
The future of propulsion and aviation is Personal Air Vehicles (PAV's). Its predicted that over the next 20 years ordinary people could have their own person air vehicles, and take off from and land on mini airstrips anywhere. These PAV's are thought to travel from 100-500 miles at speeds of 200mph. These air vehicles with either be remotely driven by autopilot or be so automated that someone with the most minimum amount of air flight training will be able to fly them. The mass production of PAV's could bring cost down as low as $17,000 to $100,000. The cost of fuel however is still a wild card.