Aviation Abbreviations

Aviation was first practically practiced by Moutgolfier, who in 1783 took off a paper balloon, which he had made, filled with warm air. Gradually one came to the balloon of special fabric, impermeable, filled with gas or hydrogen; over the balloon hangs a net, to which v. is attached under a gondola.

The greatest height reached with such a balloon is 11 700 m; by prof. → Piccard, with a spec. balloon, 16 700 m. The great drawback is that the balloon is uncontrollable. Dirigible airplanes and airships first became possible with the invention of a light engine. In 1884 Renard constructed an airship of 50 m in length with an engine of 8½ hp, with a speed of 24 km. In 1902 Santos Dumont flew around the Eiffel Tower and in 1903 built a semi-rigid airship with a frame propelled by engines of 35 hp. which reached a speed of about 45 km per hour. Since 1898 Zeppelin has been working on a completely rigid airship, the 1st model of which came out in 1900.

In 1905 the 2nd type, which soon crashed, followed in 1906, the 3rd, with an hourly speed of 40 km. The use of aluminum and improved explosion engines, as well as separate gas cells inside, modified control surfaces and water ballast, finally resulted in the modern Zeppelin, which has already completed numerous voyages across the ocean, circumnavigated the globe, etc. The first aircraft with airfoils dating back to 1871, were constructed by Penaud and powered by a rubber cable motor, but had no practical significance. In 1904 the brothers built. Wright a biplane with which they performed successful flights. In 1909 → Blériot flew across the Channel and Farman covered 234 km in 4½ hours. During the war the aviation industry developed very rapidly. In 1927 → Lindbergh flew over the ocean, which example has been given since many BC.

The landing gear of ordinary aircraft, consisting of 2 wheels with rubber tires, has been replaced by 2 convex cylinders, called floats, by which these aircraft can take off from water and descend on it. The larger type of seaplane is called a flying boat and has a ship-built hull, like the DO X, which has a dead weight of 45,000 kg. Commercial aircraft rise to an altitude of v. 4000/6000 m, at a flight speed v. 120/170 km per hour, military aircraft to 8000/11 000 m. Especially v/h achieve v. record speeds. built aircraft have reached hourly speeds v. more than 550 km.

List of Acronyms Related to Aviation