Sir George Cayley, born in 1773, is considered by some to be the Father of Aviation. A pioneer in his field, he is credited with the first major breakthrough in heavier-than-air flight.  He was the first to identify the four aerodynamic forces of flight weight, lift, drag, and thrust and their relationship. He was also the first to build a successful human carrying glider. Cayley described many of the concepts and elements of the modern airplane and was the first to understand and explain in engineering terms the concepts of lift and thrust. Before him, researchers thought that the propulsion system should generate both lift and forward motion at the same time, as birds were able to do. So they constructed their flying machines with flapping wings to resemble the motion of birds. Cayley realized that the propulsion system should generate thrust but that the wings should be shaped so as to create lift. Finally, Cayley was the first investigator to apply the research methods and tools of science and engineering to the solution of the problems of flight.

Some of Cayley's Major Works

• 1804 -- Built a model monoplane
• 1808 -- Full scale monoplane flown like a kite
• 1810 -- Published "On Aerial Navigation", which discussed three key elements of light: lift, propulsion, and control
• 1816-- Focused on making lighter weight machines
• 1849-- Built gliding machine and tested in with a 10 year old on board
• 1853 -- Triplane glider carried an adult 900 ft. First recorded flight of an aircraft with an adult on board.

References
http://www.flyingmachines.org/cayl.html
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/cayley.html
 

Created by Kelly Moran