Brief History of aviation?

[avgeekblog]

Aviation began in 1903 when the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, controlled flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Over the next few decades, aircraft rapidly evolved from fragile wooden biplanes to metal monoplanes, leading to major advancements during World War I and II. The introduction of jet engines in the 1940s transformed air travel, making flights faster and more reliable. By the late 20th century, commercial aviation had become global, connecting cities and countries like never before. Today, aviation continues to advance with modern jets, composite materials, automation, and new technologies like electric and autonomous aircraft.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Not really strictly the beginning. Cayley designed the primary set of wings and controls we use today in 1799 and flew a man carrying glider in 1804.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Not really strictly the beginning. Cayley designed the primary set of wings and controls we use today in 1799 and flew a man carrying glider in 1804.

The first recorded manned balloon flight was in 1783.
The first recorded manned powered airship/balloon flight was in 1784 with the first powered airship/balloon flight across the English Channel in 1785.
So excluding unmanned flight, aviation (if defined as involving human transport) began 119 years before the Wright brothers flew their airplane. Any other earlier successful attempts appear to be lost to history.