World's Greatest Aviation Innovations - Aircraft of World War II

comiso90 · 10-03-2008, 10:34 PM

1. Cabin pressurization -- The average passenger doesn't think about cabin pressurization until their yellow safety masks fall from the ceiling, but the reality is that if the technology hadn't been developed during WWII, we wouldn't be able to fly much above 10,000 feet.

2. Black Box -- Morbid but essential, the black box was invented in the mid-1950s, and not only helps investigators learn why a plane crashed, but how that information can be applied to other aircraft to prevent a repeat.

3. The Concorde -- It never delivered on its commercial promise, and it was an environmental bad boy, but who can deny that breaking the sound barrier aboard a commercial aircraft is cool. And have you ever seen a more beautiful plane?

4. Radar -- Sure, the airlines are dying to replace it with GPS technology, but for decades it's been radar that helps air traffic controllers locate and track planes up to 200 miles away. Would our modern air traffic infrastructure exist without it? Probably not.

5. The jumbo jet -- Whether you think they're graceful or ungainly, you can't deny that jumbo jets have changed the face of commercial aviation. The economies of scale provided by a 400-seat airliner meant airlines could offer cheap tickets that made it possible for the masses to fly.

6. The hub and spoke system -- People hate, hate, hate having to make stopovers at jam packed airports controlled by a single airline. Yeah, they're expensive to fly into and delay prone, but hub airports are a big part of the reason that you have 20 flights a day to choose from when flying between most large American cities.

7.The Very Light Jet (VLJ) -- It's been a tough road for the VLJ, with manufacturers suffering production problems and customers going out of business, but that doesn't diminish the allure of a 37 foot, 3,500 pound plane designed to carry four to six passengers on short hops that would otherwise require a car ride.

8. Winglets -- Here's another one that most of us don't think about. The small upward-pointing extensions at the tips of aircraft wings reduce drag, improve climb performance, increase range, and make flight more fuel efficient. With oil at over $100 a barrel, no wonder most airlines have added winglets across their fleets.

9. The flying wing -- Yves Rossy keeps breaking records and defying expectations with his 8-foot-diameter, carbon composite flying wing. Last week he made a successful 13 minute, 125 mph trip across the English Channel.

10. Stealth aircraft -- What's cooler than a plane that can outsmart radar? Because the surfaces of a stealth are designed to absorb radio waves or reflect them away from the receiver, stealth planes can sneak in and sneak out undetected. Too bad they're so expensive: The 21 plane B-2 program cost over $45 billion.

11. Jetway -- Another one most of us don't think about is the long covered walkway the connects our departure gate with our plane. It means we don't have to wait outside on the tarmac in sleet and rain, or contend with the shriek of jet engines. The A380 is served by three jet bridges, one of them leading directly to the first class lounge.

12. Deicing -- Ice buildup is the cause of many fatal aircraft accidents, which is why applying monopropylene de-icing fluid to wings pre-flight has become standard operating procedure. Without it, air traffic would ground to a halt every time things got a little stormy.

The World's Greatest Aviation Innovations | Autopia from Wired.com

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FLYBOYJ · 10-03-2008, 11:28 PM

Number 13....

evangilder · 10-03-2008, 11:45 PM

Here, here, Joe! That's what we refer to in the aviation world as the "Range extender"

syscom3 · 10-04-2008, 12:18 AM

@ Flyboy.

I say the following was the SINGLE most important invention for flight. Something that enables us to fly 24 hours a day regardless of weather.

The Artificial Horizon.

Old Wizard · 10-04-2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comiso90

10. Stealth aircraft -- What's cooler than a plane that can outsmart radar? Because the surfaces of a stealth are designed to absorb radio waves or reflect them away from the receiver, stealth planes can sneak in and sneak out undetected. Too bad they're so expensive: The 21 plane B-2 program cost over $45 billion..

Apparently certain radars can detect the air disturbance caused by stealth aircraft.

Crunch · 10-04-2008, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Wizard

Apparently certain radars can detect the air disturbance caused by stealth aircraft.

I think technology will always be leap-frogging with things like these. Plane outsmarts radar, radar outsmarts plane. It'll be a never-ending cycle.

Great list though comiso!

trackend · 10-04-2008, 11:49 AM

My pick is the jet engine it made flying for the masses possible

Marcel · 10-04-2008, 11:52 AM

I would go with this one for greatest invention:

trackend · 10-04-2008, 01:00 PM

Cant argue with that Marcel
A piece of the fabric from the Wright flyer has been donated to the Duxford museums new airspace Hall and it will be displayed in a special controled atmosphere case

RabidAlien · 10-04-2008, 06:53 PM

We can't forget these innovations:

Velius · 10-04-2008, 07:14 PM

I say the controllable pitch prop is another good one. It allows aircraft recip engines to operate at efficient RPMs under certain flight conditions.

Njaco · 10-04-2008, 11:22 PM

Quote:

4. Radar -- Sure, the airlines are dying to replace it with GPS technology, but for decades it's been radar that helps air traffic controllers locate and track planes up to 200 miles away. Would our modern air traffic infrastructure exist without it? Probably not.

Quote:

10. Stealth aircraft -- What's cooler than a plane that can outsmart radar? Because the surfaces of a stealth are designed to absorb radio waves or reflect them away from the receiver, stealth planes can sneak in and sneak out undetected. Too bad they're so expensive: The 21 plane B-2 program cost over $45 billion.

Wouldn't stealth technology be redundant if they go with GPS?

comiso90 · 10-05-2008, 12:44 AM

How about retractable landing gear? Imagine a 757 with fixed gear...

It sounds simple but oval windows on jetliners. It made pressurization practical. Some early airliners (i think the comet ) had square windows which did not handle the pressurization adequately.

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comiso90 · 10-05-2008, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

Number 13....

109ROAMING · 10-05-2008, 04:10 AM

No offence intended . I know the Wright brothers hold the claim for First flight

But for me this is it ,alierons ,elevators, and wheels!

Richard Pearse isn't credited literally at all for inventing the first plane with Alierons and did it all before the Wright Brothers

10-03-2008, 10:34 PM	#1
comiso90 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: FL Posts: 3,294	World's Greatest Aviation Innovations 1. Cabin pressurization -- The average passenger doesn't think about cabin pressurization until their yellow safety masks fall from the ceiling, but the reality is that if the technology hadn't been developed during WWII, we wouldn't be able to fly much above 10,000 feet. 2. Black Box -- Morbid but essential, the black box was invented in the mid-1950s, and not only helps investigators learn why a plane crashed, but how that information can be applied to other aircraft to prevent a repeat. 3. The Concorde -- It never delivered on its commercial promise, and it was an environmental bad boy, but who can deny that breaking the sound barrier aboard a commercial aircraft is cool. And have you ever seen a more beautiful plane? 4. Radar -- Sure, the airlines are dying to replace it with GPS technology, but for decades it's been radar that helps air traffic controllers locate and track planes up to 200 miles away. Would our modern air traffic infrastructure exist without it? Probably not. 5. The jumbo jet -- Whether you think they're graceful or ungainly, you can't deny that jumbo jets have changed the face of commercial aviation. The economies of scale provided by a 400-seat airliner meant airlines could offer cheap tickets that made it possible for the masses to fly. 6. The hub and spoke system -- People hate, hate, hate having to make stopovers at jam packed airports controlled by a single airline. Yeah, they're expensive to fly into and delay prone, but hub airports are a big part of the reason that you have 20 flights a day to choose from when flying between most large American cities. 7.The Very Light Jet (VLJ) -- It's been a tough road for the VLJ, with manufacturers suffering production problems and customers going out of business, but that doesn't diminish the allure of a 37 foot, 3,500 pound plane designed to carry four to six passengers on short hops that would otherwise require a car ride. 8. Winglets -- Here's another one that most of us don't think about. The small upward-pointing extensions at the tips of aircraft wings reduce drag, improve climb performance, increase range, and make flight more fuel efficient. With oil at over $100 a barrel, no wonder most airlines have added winglets across their fleets. 9. The flying wing -- Yves Rossy keeps breaking records and defying expectations with his 8-foot-diameter, carbon composite flying wing. Last week he made a successful 13 minute, 125 mph trip across the English Channel. 10. Stealth aircraft -- What's cooler than a plane that can outsmart radar? Because the surfaces of a stealth are designed to absorb radio waves or reflect them away from the receiver, stealth planes can sneak in and sneak out undetected. Too bad they're so expensive: The 21 plane B-2 program cost over $45 billion. 11. Jetway -- Another one most of us don't think about is the long covered walkway the connects our departure gate with our plane. It means we don't have to wait outside on the tarmac in sleet and rain, or contend with the shriek of jet engines. The A380 is served by three jet bridges, one of them leading directly to the first class lounge. 12. Deicing -- Ice buildup is the cause of many fatal aircraft accidents, which is why applying monopropylene de-icing fluid to wings pre-flight has become standard operating procedure. Without it, air traffic would ground to a halt every time things got a little stormy. The World's Greatest Aviation Innovations \| Autopia from Wired.com . __________________ http://www.BOOKSonWAR.com/ .

10-03-2008, 11:45 PM	#3
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,803	Here, here, Joe! That's what we refer to in the aviation world as the "Range extender" __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

10-04-2008, 11:52 AM	#8
Marcel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dordrecht Posts: 3,834	I would go with this one for greatest invention: __________________ " The knack of flying lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

10-05-2008, 12:44 AM	#13
comiso90 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: FL Posts: 3,294	How about retractable landing gear? Imagine a 757 with fixed gear... It sounds simple but oval windows on jetliners. It made pressurization practical. Some early airliners (i think the comet ) had square windows which did not handle the pressurization adequately. . __________________ http://www.BOOKSonWAR.com/ .

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10-04-2008, 11:49 AM	#7
trackend Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 4,029	My pick is the jet engine it made flying for the masses possible

10-04-2008, 07:14 PM	#11
Velius Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Central Texas Posts: 250	I say the controllable pitch prop is another good one. It allows aircraft recip engines to operate at efficient RPMs under certain flight conditions.