100 years of flight
It is hundred years since man first sat behind the wheel and soared into the sky. It was in 1903 that the Wright brothers took off on a rickety wood and-fabric biplane, the Kitty-Hawk and kick started aviation history. Man's urge to fly however has been is as old as the sky itself with ancient man attempting to fly by attaching wings and literally taking many flights of fancy.
However experiments in aviation and planes that resemble the ones we have today began in 1783 when the Montgolfier Brothers constructed the first lighter-than-air vehicle, a balloon. In 1799, Sir George Cayley conceived craft with stationary wings to provide lift, flappers to provide thrust and even a movable tail to provide control. During the next half-century many inventors designed and experimented with planes. However the world had to wait till 1903 when Orville Wright took off for 12 seconds on the Kitty-Hawk and later, his brother flew if for 59 seconds.
TIME looks back at an amazing century of inspirational people, daring moments and ground-making aircraft that helped make the world a lot smaller. This special has articles on 20 most influential people in aviation history, 20 most memorable moments; 20 revolutionary planes and highlights in airline fashion.