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96-501: The history of aviation spans over two millennia, from the earliest innovations like kites and daring attempts at tower jumping to supersonic and hypersonic flight in powered, heavier-than-air jet aircraft . Kite flying in China, dating back several hundred years BC, is considered the earliest example of man-made flight. Leonardo da Vinci 's 15th-century dream of flight found expression in several rational designs, though hindered by

192-432: A 7-winged rocket propelled by 50 okka (140 lbs) of gunpowder . The flight was said to have been undertaken at the time of the birth of Sultan Murad IV 's daughter. As Evliya Celebi wrote, Lagari proclaimed before launching his craft "O my sultan! Be blessed, I am going to talk to Jesus!"; after ascending in the rocket, he landed in the sea, swimming ashore and joking "O my sultan! Jesus sends his regards to you!"; he

288-527: A Korean general of Silla rallied his troops to defeat rebels by using flaming kites which also frightened the enemy. Russian chronicles mention Prince Oleg of Novgorod use of kites during the siege of Constantinople in 906: "and he crafted horses and men of paper, armed and gilded, and lifted them into the air over the city; the Greeks saw them and feared them". Walter de Milemete 's 1326 De nobilitatibus, sapientiis, et prudentiis regum treatise depicts

384-401: A bird rather than an engine-powered propeller. Leonardo studied bird and bat flight, claiming the superiority of the latter owing to its unperforated wing. He analyzed these and anticipating many principles of aerodynamics. He understood that "An object offers as much resistance to the air as the air does to the object." Isaac Newton did not publish his third law of motion until 1687. From

480-531: A floating assembly hall on Lake Constance in the Bay of Manzell, Friedrichshafen . This was intended to ease the starting procedure, as the hall could easily be aligned with the wind. The prototype airship LZ 1 (LZ for "Luftschiff Zeppelin") had a length of 128 m (420 ft) was driven by two 10.6 kW (14.2 hp) Daimler engines and balanced by moving a weight between its two nacelles. Its first flight, on 2 July 1900, lasted for only 18 minutes, as LZ 1

576-468: A focus on historical kites, preserving the country's kite traditions. Kite flying is popular in many Asian countries, where it often takes the form of " kite fighting ", in which participants try to snag each other's kites or cut other kites down. Fighter kites are usually small, flattened diamond-shaped kites made of paper and bamboo. Tails are not used on fighter kites so that agility and maneuverability are not compromised. In Afghanistan , kite flying

672-613: A group of knights flying kite laden with a black-powder filled firebomb over the wall of city. Kites were also used by Admiral Yi of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) of Korea. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) , Admiral Yi commanded his navy using kites. His kites had specific markings directing his fleet to perform various orders. In the modern era the British Army used kites to haul human lookouts into

768-729: A history of his abbey and several saints' lives. William is considered by many, including John Milton , to be one of the best English historians of his time, and remains known for strong documentation and his clear, engaging writing style. A strong Latin stylist, he shows literary and historiographical instincts which are, for his time, remarkably sound. He is an authority of considerable value from 1066 onwards; many telling anecdotes and shrewd judgments on persons and events can be gleaned from his pages. Some scholars criticise him for his atypical annalistic form, calling his chronology less than satisfactory and his arrangement of material careless. Much of William's work on Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester ,

864-433: A human body. The science of mechanics might perhaps suggest a means, namely, a strong spiral spring. If these advantages and requisites are observed, perhaps in time to come someone might know how better to utilise our sketch and cause some addition to be made so as to accomplish that which we can only suggest. Yet there are sufficient proofs and examples from nature that such flights can take place without danger, although when

960-482: A light frame covered with strong canvas and provided with two large oars or wings moving on a horizontal axis, arranged so that the upstroke met with no resistance while the downstroke provided lifting power. Swedenborg knew that the machine would not fly, but suggested it as a start and was confident that the problem would be solved. He wrote: "It seems easier to talk of such a machine than to put it into actuality, for it requires greater force and less weight than exists in

1056-628: A lot of wind, which may be not always possible with heavy equipment and a ground conductor. It must be taken into account during experiments, that a conductor carried by a kite can lead to high voltage toward ground, which can endanger people and equipment, if suitable precautions (grounding through resistors or a parallel resonant circuit tuned to transmission frequency) are not taken. Kites can be used to carry light effects such as lightsticks or battery powered lights. Kites can be used to pull people and vehicles downwind. Efficient foil-type kites such as power kites can also be used to sail upwind under

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1152-715: A major "rage" in Europe in the late 18th century, providing the first detailed understanding of the relationship between altitude and the atmosphere. Non-steerable balloons were employed during the American Civil War by the Union Army Balloon Corps . The young Ferdinand von Zeppelin first flew as a balloon passenger with the Union Army of the Potomac in 1863. In the early 1900s, ballooning

1248-594: A massive airborne celebration on Easter Monday especially in Georgetown, the capital, and other coastal areas. The history of the practice is not entirely clear but given that Easter is a Christian festival, it is said that kite flying is symbolic of the Risen Lord. Moore describes the phenomenon in the 19th century as follows: William of Malmesbury William of Malmesbury ( Latin : Willelmus Malmesbiriensis ; c.  1095  – c.  1143 )

1344-643: A method of electricity generation when windmills are impractical. Several companies have introduced self-contained crates and shipping containers that provide an alternative to gas-powered generators for remote locations. Such systems use a combination of autonomous, self-launching kites for generation and batteries to store excess power for when winds are low or when otherwise draw exceeds supply. Some designs are tethered to long lines to reach high altitude winds which are always present, even when ground level winds are unavailable or insufficient. Underwater kites are now being developed to harvest renewable power from

1440-502: A nut) appeared in Europe in the 14th century AD. From ancient times the Chinese have understood that hot air rises and have applied the principle to a type of small hot air balloon called a sky lantern . A sky lantern consists of a paper balloon under or just inside which a small lamp is placed. Sky lanterns are traditionally launched for pleasure and during festivals. According to Joseph Needham , such lanterns were known in China from

1536-463: A poem by Muhammad I of Córdoba 's 9th-century court poet Mu'min ibn Said, recounts that Firnas flew some distance before landing with some injuries, attributed to his lacking a tail (as birds use them to land). In the 12th century, William of Malmesbury wrote that Eilmer of Malmesbury , an 11th-century Benedictine monk, attached wings to his hands and feet and flew a short distance, but broke both legs while landing, also having neglected to make himself

1632-481: A point before the onset of the Anarchy in 1139, William made the beneficial acquaintance of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury , who possessed Malmesbury Castle . Such a beneficial local connection, combined with the positive reception of William's Gesta Regum , led to an offer of the position of abbot of Malmesbury in 1140, which William declined, preferring his duties as a librarian and scholar. His one public appearance

1728-446: A rider's basket, a tail, and a steering rudder. Critics argued that the thin copper spheres could not sustain ambient air pressure, and further experiments proved that his idea was impossible. The technique of using a vacuum to create lift is called a vacuum airship , but it is still impossible to build with the materials available today. In 1709, Bartolomeu de Gusmão approached King John V of Portugal and claimed to have discovered

1824-649: A steerable (or dirigible) balloon continued sporadically throughout the 19th century. The first powered, controlled, sustained lighter-than-air flight is believed to have taken place in 1852 when Henri Giffard flew 15 miles (24 km) in France, with a steam engine-driven craft. Another advance was made in 1884, when the first fully controllable free-flight was made in a French Army electric-powered airship, La France , by Charles Renard and Arthur Krebs . The 170-foot (52 m) long, 66,000-cubic-foot (1,900 m) airship covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes with

1920-675: A tail. Many others made well-documented jumps in the following centuries. As late as 1811, Albrecht Berblinger constructed an ornithopter and jumped into the Danube at Ulm. The kite may have been the first form of man-made aircraft. It was invented in China possibly as far back as the 5th century BC by Mozi (Mo Di) and Lu Ban (Gongshu Ban). Later designs often emulated flying insects, birds, and other beasts, both real and mythical. Some were fitted with strings and whistles to make musical sounds while flying. Ancient and mediaeval Chinese sources describe kites being used to measure distances, test

2016-468: A very stable kite at Kew Observatory as early as 1847 that was trialled for the purpose of supporting self-registering meteorological instruments at height. Kites can be used for radio purposes, by kites carrying antennas for MF , LF or VLF -transmitters. This method was used for the reception station of the first transatlantic transmission by Marconi . Captive balloons may be more convenient for such experiments, because kite-carried antennas require

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2112-521: A way for airborne flight. Due to the King's illness, Gusmão's experiment was rescheduled from its initial June 24, 1709, date to August 8. The experiment was carried out in front of the king and other nobles in the Casa da India yard, but the paper ship or device burned down before it could take flight. In France, five aviation firsts were accomplished between June 4 and December 1, 1783: Ballooning became

2208-596: Is a popular game, and is known in Dari as Gudiparan Bazi . Some kite fighters pass their strings through a mixture of ground glass powder and glue, which is legal. The resulting strings are very abrasive and can sever the competitor's strings more easily. The abrasive strings can also injure people. During the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, kite flying was banned, among various other recreations. In Pakistan , kite flying

2304-540: Is a popular ritual, especially among the country's youth, and is depicted in the 2007 film The Kite Runner (although that story is based in neighboring Afghanistan ). Kites and strings are a big business in the country and several different types of string are used, including glass-coated, metal, and tandi. Kite flying was banned in Punjab, India due to more than one motorcyclist death caused by glass-coated or metal kite strings. Kup, Patang, Guda, and Nakhlaoo are some of

2400-414: Is calles as windy. It is during this month that most people, especially the young ones would fly kites. In Guyana , kites are flown at Easter, an activity in which all ethnic and religious groups participate. Kites are generally not flown at any other time of year. Kites start appearing in the sky in the weeks leading up to Easter and school children are taken to parks for the activity. It all culminates in

2496-559: Is held every year before Uttarayan for three days in Vadodara , Surat and Ahmedabad . Kites have been flown in China since ancient times. Weifang is home to the largest kite museum in the world. It also hosts an annual international kite festival on the large salt flats south of the city. There are several kite museums in Japan, UK, Malaysia , Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. In

2592-475: Is more popular in time of Dashain . Kites are very popular in India , with the states of Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab notable for their kite fighting festivals. Highly maneuverable single-string paper and bamboo kites are flown from the rooftops while using line friction in an attempt to cut each other's kite lines, either by letting the cutting line loose at high speed or by pulling

2688-402: Is often known as Gudi-Bazi or Patang-bazi. Although kite flying is a popular ritual for the celebration of spring festival known as Jashn-e-Baharaan (lit. Spring Festival) or Basant , kites are flown throughout the year. Kite fighting is a very popular pastime all around Pakistan, but mostly in urban centers across the country (especially Lahore ). The kite fights are at their highest during

2784-399: Is thought to derive from a first-hand account from Coleman, a contemporary of Wulfstan. William merely translated the document from Old English into Latin. William's works are still considered invaluable and, despite these shortcomings, he remains one of the most celebrated English chroniclers of the twelfth century. William's descriptions of religious communities, even though they "resort to

2880-572: The Israel–Gaza barrier , setting fires on the Israeli side of the border, hundreds of dunams of Israeli crop fields were burned by firebomb kites launched from Gaza, with an estimated economic loss of several millions of shekels . Kites have been used for scientific purposes, such as Benjamin Franklin 's famous experiment proving that lightning is electricity . Kites were the precursors to

2976-419: The cambered aerofoil , dihedral , diagonal bracing and drag reduction, and contributed to the understanding and design of ornithopters and parachutes . In 1848, he had progressed far enough to construct a glider in the form of a triplane large and safe enough to carry a child. A local boy was chosen but his name is not known. Kite There are several shapes of kites. The lift that sustains

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3072-469: The hagiographic ", especially about Benedictine convents such as Shaftesbury , Nunnaminster , and Wilton , give insights into the lives of nuns in England during the central Middle Ages. He observed their practices, which included their obedience to their leaders' directives, their care for and veneration of relics , their organization and participation in their practices of prayer and intercessions on

3168-1045: The parafoil , and power kites . Kites were used for scientific purposes, especially in meteorology, aeronautics, wireless communications and photography . The Rogallo wing was adapted for stunt kites and hang gliding and the parafoil was adapted for parachuting and paragliding . The rapid development of mechanically powered aircraft diminished interest in kites. World War II saw a limited use of kites for military purposes ( survival radio , Focke Achgelis Fa 330 , military radio antenna kites ). Kites are now mostly used for recreation. Lightweight synthetic materials ( ripstop nylon , plastic film , carbon fiber tube and rod) are used for kite making. Synthetic rope and cord ( nylon , polyethylene , kevlar and dyneema ) are used as bridle and kite line. Designs often emulate flying insects, birds, and other beasts, both real and mythical. The finest Chinese kites are made from split bamboo (usually golden bamboo), covered with silk, and hand painted. On larger kites, clever hinges and latches allow

3264-478: The 16th and 17th centuries. Konrad Kyeser described dragon kites in Bellifortis about 1400 AD. Although kites were initially regarded as mere curiosities, by the 18th and 19th centuries they were being used as vehicles for scientific research. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin published an account of a kite experiment to prove that lightning was caused by electricity . Kites were also instrumental in

3360-428: The 3rd century BC. Their military use is attributed to the general Zhuge Liang (180–234 AD, honorific title Kongming ), who is said to have used them to scare the enemy troops. There is evidence that the Chinese also "solved the problem of aerial navigation" using balloons, hundreds of years before the 18th century. Eventually, after Ibn Firnas 's construction, some investigators began to discover and define some of

3456-684: The English Kings"), consciously patterned on Bede , which spanned from AD 449 to 1120. He later edited and expanded it up to the year 1127, releasing a revision dedicated to Robert, Earl of Gloucester . This "second edition" of the Gesta Regum , "disclosing in his second thoughts the mellowing of age", is now considered one of the great histories of England. William wrote of William the Conqueror in Historia Anglorum : He

3552-560: The European Middle Ages. During this early period, the concepts of lift, stability, and control were not well understood, and most attempts resulted in serious injuries or death. The Andalusian scientist Abbas ibn Firnas (810–887 AD) attempted to fly in Córdoba, Spain , by covering his body with vulture feathers and attached two wings to his arms. The 17th-century Algerian historian Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari , quoting

3648-402: The aid of an 8½ horsepower electric motor. However, these aircraft were generally short-lived and extremely frail. Routine, controlled flights did not occur until the advent of the internal combustion engine (see below.) The first aircraft to make routine controlled flights were non-rigid airships (sometimes called "blimps".) The most successful early pioneering pilot of this type of aircraft

3744-581: The air for observation purposes, using the kites developed by Samuel Franklin Cody . Barrage kites were used to protect shipping during the Second World War . Kites were also used for anti-aircraft target practice. Kites and kytoons were used for lofting communications antenna. Submarines lofted observers in rotary kites. Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have flown firebomb kites over

3840-411: The air were the rigid dirigible balloons pioneered by Ferdinand von Zeppelin , which soon became synonymous with airships and dominated long-distance flight until the 1930s, when large flying boats became popular. After World War II , the flying boats were in their turn replaced by land planes, and the new and immensely powerful jet engine revolutionized both air travel and military aviation . In

3936-408: The basics of rational aircraft design. Most notable of these was Leonardo da Vinci , although his work remained unknown until 1797, and so had no influence on developments over the next three hundred years. While his designs are rational, they are not scientific. He particularly underestimated the amount of power that would be needed to propel a flying object, basing his designs on the flapping wings of

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4032-414: The behalf of those in and out of their communities, and their reputations among the laity and their peers in other religious communities. His extensive travels throughout England also allowed him to compare the communities he studied and to accurately assess these communities' "size, wealth, vibrancy, and rigour". According to medieval scholar and historian Katie Ann-Marie Bugyis, "He was clearly impressed by

4128-491: The development of airships. At the same time that non-rigid airships were starting to have some success, the first successful rigid airships were also being developed. These were far more capable than fixed-wing aircraft in terms of pure cargo-carrying capacity for decades. Rigid airship design and advancement was pioneered by the German count Ferdinand von Zeppelin . Construction of the first Zeppelin airship began in 1899 in

4224-526: The end of the 18th century, with the French government establishing balloon companies during the French Revolution . Experiments with gliders provided the groundwork for learning the dynamics of heavier-than-air craft, most notably by Cayley, Otto Lilienthal , and Octave Chanute . By the early 20th century, advances in engine technology and aerodynamics made controlled, powered flight possible for

4320-676: The festival is 62 feet (19 m) wide by 67 feet (20 m) high and weighs 3,307 pounds (1,500 kg). In the Hamamatsu Kite Festival in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka , more than 100 kites are flown in the sky over the Nakatajima Sand Dunes , one of the three largest sand dunes in Japan, which overlooks the Enshunada Sea. Parents who have a new baby prepare a new kite with their baby's name and fly it in

4416-673: The festival. These kites are traditional ones made from bamboo and paper. In Greece and Cyprus , flying kites is a tradition for Clean Monday , the first day of Lent . In the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda , traditional Bermuda kites are made and flown at Easter , to symbolise Christ's ascent. In Fuerteventura a kite festival is usually held on the weekend nearest to 8 November lasting for 3 days. Polynesian traditional kites are sometimes used at ceremonies and variants of traditional kites for amusement. Older pieces are kept in museums. These are treasured by

4512-546: The first practical aircraft , the biplane . Kites have a long and varied history and many different types are flown individually and at festivals worldwide. Kites may be flown for recreation , art or other practical uses. Sport kites can be flown in aerial ballet , sometimes as part of a competition. Power kites are multi-line steerable kites designed to generate large forces which can be used to power activities such as kite surfing , kite landboarding , kite buggying and snow kiting . The kite has been claimed as

4608-415: The first scientific statement of the problem, "The whole problem is confined within these limits, viz. to make a surface support a given weight by the application of power to the resistance of air". He identified the four vector forces that influence an aircraft: thrust , lift , drag and weight and distinguished stability and control in his designs. He also identified and described the importance of

4704-493: The first time. In 1903, following their pioneering research and experiments with wing design and aircraft control, the Wright brothers successfully incorporated all of the required elements to create and fly the first aeroplane. The basic configuration with its characteristic tail was established by 1909, followed by rapid design and performance improvements aided by the development of more powerful engines. The first great ships of

4800-675: The first trials are made you may have to pay for the experience, and not mind an arm or leg". Swedenborg proved prescient in his observation that a method of powering of an aircraft was one of the critical problems to be overcome. On 16 May 1793, the Spanish inventor Diego Marín Aguilera managed to cross the river Arandilla in Coruña del Conde , Castile , flying 300 – 400 m, with a flying machine. Balloon jumping replaced tower jumping, also demonstrating with typically fatal results that man-power and flapping wings were useless in achieving flight. At

4896-416: The flow of water. Kite festivals are a popular form of entertainment throughout the world. They include large local events, traditional festivals which have been held for hundreds of years and major international festivals which bring in kite flyers from other countries to display their unique art kites and demonstrate the latest technical kites. Many countries have kite museums. These museums may have

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4992-874: The front of the kites to make a deep throbbing vibration, and in Malaysia, a row of gourds with sound-slots are used to create a whistle as the kite flies. Malaysia is also home to the Kite Museum in Malacca . Kite are also popular in Nepal , especially in hilly areas and among the Pahadi and Newar communities, although people also fly kites in Terai areas. Unlike India, people in Nepal fly kites in August – September period and

5088-604: The gods. Polynesian kite traditions are used by anthropologists to get an idea of early "primitive" Asian traditions that are believed to have at one time existed in Asia. Kites were late to arrive in Europe , although windsock-like banners were known and used by the Romans. Stories of kites were first brought to Europe by Marco Polo towards the end of the 13th century, and kites were brought back by sailors from Japan and Malaysia in

5184-607: The hope of money allured him. I have here no excuse whatever to offer, unless it be, as one has said, that of necessity he must fear many, whom many fear. William's first edition of the book was followed by the Gesta Pontificum Anglorum ( Deeds of the English Bishops ) in 1125. For this vivid descriptive history of abbeys and bishoprics, dwelling upon the lives of the English prelates saints, notably

5280-539: The idea for a popular account of English history modelled on the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum ( Ecclesiastical History of the English People ) of Bede . William's obvious respect for Bede is apparent even within the preface of his Gesta Regum Anglorum , where he professes his admiration for the man. In fulfilment of this idea, William completed in 1125 his Gesta Regum Anglorum ("Deeds of

5376-466: The impracticality of this and later turned to controlled gliding flight, also sketching some designs powered by a spring. In an essay titled Sul volo ( On flight ), Leonardo describes a flying machine called "the bird" which he built from starched linen, leather joints, and raw silk thongs. In the Codex Atlanticus , he wrote, "Tomorrow morning, on the second day of January 1496, I will make

5472-405: The invention of the 5th-century BC Chinese philosophers Mozi (also Mo Di, or Mo Ti) and Lu Ban (also Gongshu Ban, or Kungshu Phan). Materials ideal for kite building were readily available including silk fabric for sail material; fine, high-tensile-strength silk for flying line; and resilient bamboo for a strong, lightweight framework. By 549 AD, paper kites were certainly being flown, as it

5568-467: The kite further evolved into the fighter kite , known as the patang in India, where thousands are flown every year on festivals such as Makar Sankranti . Kites were known throughout Polynesia , as far as New Zealand , with the assumption being that the knowledge diffused from China along with the people. Anthropomorphic kites made from cloth and wood were used in religious ceremonies to send prayers to

5664-422: The kite in flight is generated when air moves around the kite's surface, producing low pressure above and high pressure below the wings. The interaction with the wind also generates horizontal drag along the direction of the wind. The resultant force vector from the lift and drag force components is opposed by the tension of one or more of the lines or tethers to which the kite is attached. The anchor point of

5760-441: The kite line may be static or moving (e.g., the towing of a kite by a running person, boat, free-falling anchors as in paragliders and fugitive parakites or vehicle). The same principles of fluid flow apply in liquids, so kites can be used in underwater currents. Paravanes and otter boards operate underwater on an analogous principle. Man-lifting kites were made for reconnaissance, entertainment and during development of

5856-569: The kite to be disassembled and compactly folded for storage or transport. Cheaper mass-produced kites are often made from printed polyester rather than silk. Tails are used for some single-line kite designs to keep the kite's nose pointing into the wind. Spinners and spinsocks can be attached to the flying line for visual effect. There are rotating wind socks which spin like a turbine . On large display kites these tails, spinners and spinsocks can be 50 feet (15 m) long or more. Modern aerobatic kites use two or four lines to allow fine control of

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5952-402: The kite's angle to the wind. Traction kites may have an additional line to de-power the kite and quick-release mechanisms to disengage flyer and kite in an emergency. Kites have been used for human flight, military applications, science and meteorology, photography, lifting radio antennas, generating power, aerodynamics experiments, and much more. Kites have been used for military purposes in

6048-410: The last years of the 15th century until 1505, Leonardo wrote about and sketched many designs for flying machines and mechanisms, including ornithopters, fixed-wing gliders, rotorcraft (perhaps inspired by whirligig toys), parachutes (in the form of a wooden-framed pyramidal tent) and a wind speed gauge. His early designs were man-powered and included ornithopters and rotorcraft; however, he came to realise

6144-494: The latter half of the 20th century, the development of digital electronics led to major advances in flight instrumentation and "fly-by-wire" systems. The 21st century has seen the widespread use of pilotless drones for military, civilian, and recreational purposes. With digital controls, inherently unstable aircraft designs, such as flying wings, have also become feasible. The term aviation, noun of action from stem of Latin avis "bird" with suffix -ation meaning action or progress,

6240-664: The learned wonder-working Aldhelm , abbot of Malmesbury, William travelled widely in England . He stayed at Glastonbury Abbey for a time, composing On the Antiquity of the Glastonbury Church for his friend, the abbot Henry of Blois who was also the Bishop of Winchester. (Among the first works to mention SS   Fagan and Deruvian , its present form is notably marred by anachronistic forgeries and additions.) At

6336-612: The limitations of contemporary science. In the late 18th century, the Montgolfier brothers invented the hot-air balloon and began manned flights. At almost the same time, the discovery of hydrogen gas led to the invention of the hydrogen balloon . Various theories in mechanics by physicists during the same period, such as fluid dynamics and Newton's laws of motion , led to the foundation of modern aerodynamics , most notably by Sir George Cayley . Balloons, both free-flying and tethered, began to be used for military purposes from

6432-562: The line in a fast and repeated manner. During the Indian spring festival of Makar Sankranti , near the middle of January, millions of people fly kites all over northern India. Kite flying in Hyderabad starts a month before this, but kite flying/fighting is an important part of other celebrations, including Republic Day , Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan , Viswakarma Puja day in late September and Janmashtami . An international kite festival

6528-530: The most learned man in twelfth-century Western Europe." William was born about 1095 or 1096 in Wiltshire , England. His father was Norman and his mother English. He spent his whole life in England and his adult life as a monk at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire. Though the education William received at Malmesbury Abbey included a smattering of logic and physics , moral philosophy and history were

6624-527: The past, such as signaling, delivery of ammunition , and for observation , both by lifting an observer above the field of battle and by using kite aerial photography . Kites were first used in warfare by the Chinese. During the Song dynasty the Fire Crow , a kite carrying incendiary powder, a fuse, and a burning stick of incense was developed as a weapon. According to Samguk Sagi , in 647 Kim Yu-sin ,

6720-832: The people of Polynesia. In Brazil , flying a kite is a very popular leisure activity for children, teenagers and even young adults. Mostly these are boys, and it is overwhelmingly kite fighting a game whose goal is to maneuver their own kites to cut the other persons' kites' strings during flight, and followed by kite running where participants race through the streets to take the free-drifting kites. As in other countries with similar traditions, injuries are common and motorcyclists in particular need to take precautions. In Chile , kites are very popular, especially during Independence Day festivities (September 18). In Peru, kites are also very popular. There are kite festivals in parks and beaches mostly on August. In Colombia , kites can be seen flown in parks and recreation areas during August which

6816-494: The popular kite brands; they vary in balance, weight and speed. In Indonesia kites are flown as both sport and recreation. One of the most popular kite variants is from Bali . Balinese kites are unique and they have different designs and forms; birds, butterflies, dragons, ships, etc. In Vietnam , kites are flown without tails. Instead small flutes are attached allowing the wind to "hum" a musical tune. There are other forms of sound-making kites. In Bali, large bows are attached to

6912-715: The pre-modern period, Malays in Singapore used kites for fishing. In Japan, kite flying is traditionally a children's play in New Year holidays and in the Boys' Festival in May. In some areas, there is a tradition to celebrate a new boy baby with a new kite (祝い凧). There are many kite festivals throughout Japan. The most famous one is "Yōkaichi Giant Kite Festival" in Higashiōmi, Shiga , which started in 1841. The largest kite ever built in

7008-524: The research of the Wright brothers , and others, as they developed the first airplane in the late 1800s. Several different designs of man-lifting kites were developed. The period from 1860 to about 1910 became the European "golden age of kiting". In the 20th century, many new kite designs are developed. These included Eddy 's tailless diamond, the tetrahedral kite , the Rogallo wing , the sled kite ,

7104-535: The same principles as used by other sailing craft, provided that lateral forces on the ground or in the water are redirected as with the keels, center boards, wheels and ice blades of traditional sailing craft. In the last two decades several kite sailing sports have become popular, such as kite buggying, kite land boarding, kite boating and kite surfing. Snow kiting has also become popular in recent years. Kite sailing opens several possibilities not available in traditional sailing: Computer-controlled kites can serve as

7200-407: The same time scientific study of heavier-than-air flight began in earnest. In 1801, the French officer André Guillaume Resnier de Goué managed a 300-metre glide by starting from the top of the city walls of Angoulême and broke only one leg on arrival. In 1837 French mathematician and brigadier general Isidore Didion stated, "Aviation will be successful only if one finds an engine whose ratio with

7296-414: The spring celebrations and the fighters enjoy competing with rivals to cut-loose the string of the others kite, popularly known as "Paecha". During the spring festival, kite flying competitions are held across the country and the skies are colored with kites. When a competitor succeeds in cutting another's kite loose, shouts of 'wo kata' ring through the air. Cut kites are reclaimed by chasing after them. This

7392-426: The subjects to which he devoted the most attention. The earliest fact which he records of his career is that he assisted Abbot Godfrey (1081–1105) in collecting a library for the use of the community, and the evidence shows that William had first-hand knowledge of at least four hundred works by two hundred-odd authors. During the course of his studies, he amassed a collection of medieval histories, which inspired in him

7488-491: The thong and the attempt." According to one commonly repeated, albeit presumably fictional story, in 1505 Leonardo or one of his pupils attempted to fly from the summit of Monte Ceceri . Francesco Lana de Terzi proposed in Prodromo dell'Arte Maestra (1670) that large vessels could float in the atmosphere by applying the principles of the vacuum. Lana designed an airship with four huge copper foil spheres connected to support

7584-399: The traditional aircraft , and were instrumental in the development of early flying craft. Alexander Graham Bell experimented with very large man-lifting kites , as did the Wright brothers and Lawrence Hargrave . Kites had a historical role in lifting scientific instruments to measure atmospheric conditions for weather forecasting . Francis Ronalds and William Radcliffe Birt described

7680-507: The weight of the device to be supported will be larger than current steam machines or the strength developed by humans or most of the animals". Sir George Cayley was first called the "father of the aeroplane" in 1846. During the last years of the previous century he had begun the first rigorous study of the physics of flight and later designed the first modern heavier-than-air craft. Among his many achievements, his most important contributions to aeronautics include: Cayley's first innovation

7776-428: The wind, lift men, signal, and communicate and send messages. Kites spread from China around the world. After its introduction into India, the kite further evolved into the fighter kite , which has an abrasive line used to cut down other kites. Man-carrying kites are believed to have been used extensively in ancient China for civil and military purposes and sometimes enforced as a punishment. An early recorded flight

7872-509: Was a popular sport in Britain. These privately owned balloons usually used coal gas as the lifting gas. This has half the lifting power of hydrogen so the balloons had to be larger, however, coal gas was far more readily available and the local gas works sometimes provided a special lightweight formula for ballooning events. Airships were originally called "dirigible balloons" and are still sometimes called dirigibles today. Work on developing

7968-440: Was coined in 1863 by French pioneer Guillaume Joseph Gabriel de La Landelle (1812–1886) in "Aviation ou Navigation aérienne sans ballons". Since ancient times, there have been stories of men strapping birdlike wings, stiffened cloaks, or other devices to themselves and attempting to fly, typically by jumping off a tower. The Greek legends of Daedalus and Icarus are some of the earliest known. Others originated in ancient Asia and

8064-513: Was established in 1910. Although airships were used in both World War I and II, and continue on a limited basis to this day, their development has been largely overshadowed by heavier-than-air craft. Traveller Evliya Çelebi reported that in 1633, Ottoman scientist and engineer Lagari Hasan Çelebi blasted off from Sarayburnu , (the promontory below the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul ) in

8160-523: Was forced to land on the lake after the winding mechanism for the balancing weight had broken. Upon repair, the technology proved its potential in subsequent flights, bettering the 6 m/s speed attained by the French airship La France by 3 m/s, but could not yet convince possible investors. It was several years before the Count was able to raise enough funds for another try. German airship passenger service known as DELAG (Deutsche-Luftschiffahrts AG)

8256-621: Was made at the council of Winchester in 1141, in which the clergy declared for the Empress Matilda . Beginning about 1140, William continued his chronicles with the Historia Novella , or "modern history", a three-book chronicle that ran from 1128 to 1142, including important accounts of the Anarchy of King Stephen 's reign. This work breaks off with an unfulfilled promise that it would be continued: presumably William died before he could redeem his pledge. William also wrote

8352-538: Was never confined with any dangerous disorder, except at the last; so given to the pleasures of the chase, that as I have before said, ejecting the inhabitants, he let a space of many miles grow desolate that, when at liberty from other avocations, he might there pursue his pleasures. His anxiety for money is the only thing on which he can deservedly be blamed. This he sought all opportunities of scraping together, he cared not how; he would say and do some things and indeed almost anything, unbecoming to such great majesty, where

8448-408: Was of just stature, extraordinary corpulence, fierce countenance; his forehead was bare of hair; of such great strength of arm that it was often a matter of surprise, that no one was able to draw his bow, which himself could bend when his horse was in full gallop; he was majestic whether sitting or standing, although the protuberance of his belly deformed his royal person; of excellent health so that he

8544-587: Was recorded that in that year a paper kite was used as a message for a rescue mission. Ancient and medieval Chinese sources describe kites being used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. The earliest known Chinese kites were flat (not bowed) and often rectangular. Later, tailless kites incorporated a stabilizing bowline. Kites were decorated with mythological motifs and legendary figures; some were fitted with strings and whistles to make musical sounds while flying. After its introduction into India ,

8640-676: Was rewarded by the Sultan with silver and the rank of sipahi in the Ottoman army . Evliya Çelebi also wrote of Lagari's brother, Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi , making a flight by glider a year earlier. Italian inventor Tito Livio Burattini , invited by the Polish King Władysław IV to his court in Warsaw , built a model aircraft with four fixed glider wings in 1647. Described as "four pairs of wings attached to an elaborate 'dragon'", it

8736-497: Was said to have successfully lifted a cat in 1648 but not Burattini himself. He promised that "only the most minor injuries" would result from landing the craft. His "Dragon Volant" is considered "the most elaborate and sophisticated aeroplane to be built before the 19th Century". The first published paper on aviation was "Sketch of a Machine for Flying in the Air" by Emanuel Swedenborg published in 1716. This flying machine consisted of

8832-448: Was that of the prisoner Yuan Huangtou , a Chinese prince, in the 6th century AD. Stories of man-carrying kites also occur in Japan, following the introduction of the kite from China around the seventh century AD. At one time, there was a Japanese law against man-carrying kites. The use of a rotor for vertical flight has existed since 400 BC in the form of the bamboo-copter , an ancient Chinese toy. The similar "moulinet à noix" (rotor on

8928-748: Was the Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont who effectively combined a balloon with an internal combustion engine. On 19 October 1901, he flew his airship Number 6 over Paris from the Parc de Saint Cloud around the Eiffel Tower and back in under 30 minutes to win the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize . Santos-Dumont went on to design and build several aircraft. The subsequent controversy surrounding his and others' competing claims with regard to aircraft overshadowed his great contribution to

9024-471: Was the first modern heavier-than-air flying machine, having the layout of a conventional modern aircraft with an inclined wing towards the front and adjustable tail at the back with both tailplane and fin. A movable weight allowed adjustment of the model's centre of gravity . In 1809, goaded by the farcical antics of his contemporaries (see above), he began the publication of a landmark three-part treatise titled "On Aerial Navigation" (1809–1810). In it he wrote

9120-432: Was the foremost English historian of the 12th century . He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede . Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical , patristic , and earlier medieval times as well as in the writings of his own contemporaries. Indeed William may well have been

9216-413: Was to study the basic science of lift by adopting the whirling arm test rig for use in aircraft research and using simple aerodynamic models on the arm, rather than attempting to fly a model of a complete design. In 1799, he set down the concept of the modern aeroplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion, and control. In 1804, Cayley constructed a model glider which

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