S03 Episode 1

Whirling Wings: Evolution of the Rotorhead

From Cierva's autogyro to the BK-117, the heart of the helicopter has been the rotor-head. Early helicopters were complex, dangerous machines, prone to failure. For the men and women who took the controls, concentration and daring were essential.

22 mins · Wed, 8 Sep 1993

S03 Episode 2

Water Birds: Floatplanes and Flying Boats

By the 1930s flying boats and seaplanes were the craft of the future. Flying boats, massive, airborne ocean liners, opened up global routes for passengers, while Float-planes were the fastest, most innovative flying machines in existence.

22 mins · Wed, 15 Sep 1993

S03 Episode 3

Jump to the Sky: Jet VTOL

Conventional airplanes need large runways, a limitation that concerned defence planners. As turbine engines became lighter, a new breed of aircraft became possible, one that could take off and land vertically, yet fly with the speed of jets.

22 mins · Wed, 22 Sep 1993

S03 Episode 4

Tail First Flying: The Canard

When the small tail wings which enable an airplane to go up or down are moved to the front, they are called canards; it was almost a forgotten technology, but canards are making a bold reappearance on the modern aviation scene.

22 mins · Wed, 29 Sep 1993

S03 Episode 5

First Around the World

The ultimate test of aircraft and pilot was to fly around the world. Competition and showmanship were always a part of it, but it was the mental and physical endurance of the men and women who climbed into the cockpit that made success possible.

22 mins · Wed, 6 Oct 1993

S03 Episode 6

Flying Blind

In the early days of flying, a weighted silk stocking tied to a strut might help the pilot gauge his airspeed. Wartime forced pilots to learn the skill of blind flying; Today, orbiting satellites and autopilots enable an aircraft to fly itself.

22 mins · Wed, 20 Oct 1993

S03 Episode 7

Flying Wings

For flight efficiency, some designers thought the ideal flight shape should be just a wing. The development of flying wings has often proved elusive but, Northrop's designs proved their feasibility. B-2 Stealth Bombers show the concept holds promise.

22 mins · Wed, 27 Oct 1993

S03 Episode 8

Flight Control: Wing Warping to Fly-by-Wire

Two years after the first manned flight, the Wrights mastered control sufficiently to fly the first circle. By WWII, the first hydraulically boosted controls were invented. Digital flight control, fly-by-wire technology, has become state of the art.

22 mins · Wed, 3 Nov 1993

S03 Episode 9

Flash of Glory: Aerial Combat Enters the Jet Age

During WWII, the Messerschmitt 262 and the Gloster Meteor were introduced. With these first operational jet fighters, a new era in aerial combat had begun.

22 mins · Wed, 10 Nov 1993

S03 Episode 10

Flying the Mail

Airmail pioneers demonstrated that airplanes had a bright commercial future. The variety of aircraft was dazzling, anything with wings was put to use. But conditions were harsh and pilots had to be hardy and brave to risk flying the mail.

22 mins · Wed, 17 Nov 1993

S03 Episode 11

Backyard Fliers: An Airplane in Every Garage

In the 1920s when many could afford a car, interest grew in a safe, inexpensive airplane that anyone could fly. Convenience went a step further in roadable aircraft, vehicles that could travel the highways, then convert to an airplane.

22 mins · Wed, 24 Nov 1993

S03 Episode 12

First in Speed: Air Racing

From the early years of flight until the late 1930s, air racing was the single most important testing ground for engineering advancements. It provided a breathtaking combination of daredevil risk-taking and technological innovation.

22 mins · Wed, 1 Dec 1993

S03 Episode 13

Propellers: Wings With a Twist

The Wright brothers realised that a propeller was a rotating wing. In the 1930s, variable pitch and NACA research revolutionised propeller design. Today, fast turboprops with advanced propellers can be more efficient than the best jetliners.

22 mins · Wed, 8 Dec 1993

Season 3

First Flights with Neil Armstrong

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