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Remembering the Pioneers

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William Bill Piper Sr
William Bill Piper Sr

Piper has often been often called the 'Henry Ford of aviation,’ due to his ability to make aviation more accessible to the general public.

14 August 2023History
Steve Wittman
Steve Wittman

During the early 1930s, Wittman designed and built highly successful air racers. As a racing pilot, Wittman competed against the likes of James Doolittle, winning many races and building a successful racing career.

3 April 2023Remembering the Pioneers
Elrey Jeppesen
Elrey Jeppesen

In an effort to preserve his life and the lives of his friends, Jeppesen began to draw airfield charts and made notes of flight routes in what he referred to as his ‘little black book’.

28 February 2023Remembering the Pioneers
Paul Kollsman
Paul Kollsman

Kollsman invented the world’s first accurate barometric altimeter.

31 January 2023Remembering the Pioneers
Floyd Smith
Floyd Smith

For more than five centuries, numerous inventors, including Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci, attempted to design reliable parachutes. However, it was only in 1920 that the modern parachute, as we know it today, was patented.

29 December 2022Remembering the Pioneers
Remembering the Pioneers: Virginius Clark
Remembering the Pioneers: Virginius Clark

In 1922, Clark developed the ‘Clark Y’ aerofoil profile, which was the result of substantial mathematical research to design the ideal cross-sectional shape of a wing. Early aircraft designers found that the ‘Clark Y’ aerofoil worked well for their designs. As a result, the ‘Clark Y’ aerofoil was incorporated into dozens of aircraft designs.

30 November 2022Remembering the Pioneers
Henri Giffard
Henri Giffard

In 1852, Giffard built the world's first steerable airship.

28 October 2022History
Remembering the Pioneers
Remembering the Pioneers

Enrico Forlanini was a pioneer in helicopter design, hydrofoils and airship development.

14 August 2022Remembering the Pioneers
Clyde Cessna
Clyde Cessna

Learn more about Clyde Cessna, founder of the Cessna Company.

10 July 2022History
Ed Long
Ed Long

When Ed Long died at the age of 83 in July 1999, he had accumulated more than 65 000 hours of flying experience, a record which still stands.

5 June 2022Remembering the Pioneers
The right way for ‘Wrong Way’
The right way for ‘Wrong Way’

Nothing worthwhile can be achieved without resourcefulness. One pilot from the 1930s showed an extraordinary amount of resourcefulness and thereby epitomized the adventurous spirit of early aviation pioneers.

1 May 2022Remembering the Pioneers
Alexander Kartveli
Alexander Kartveli

Kartveli was instrumental in the development of the P-47 Thunderbolt, F-105 Thunderchief and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

3 April 2022Remembering the Pioneers