Individual aircraft. Aircrafts. Chris Malloy's hoverbike

People have long strived for the sky, so over the decades they have come up with various aircraft to achieve their goal. And it would seem that everything that could be invented had already been invented a long time ago. But no, there are daredevils who rise into the sky using a variety of methods, sometimes very small in size. We present to your attention the TOP 10 smallest aircraft in the world.

1. Paraglider

A paraglider is an ultra-light aircraft created on the basis of double-shell parachutes. Sometimes you hear some people call a paraglider a parachute. But this is not entirely correct. In appearance they are so similar - a parachute and a paraglider, a paraglider is a distant relative of a parachute, but at the moment this relationship lies in only one thing - both of them are based on a soft wing, not equipped with a frame. The fundamental difference between a paraglider and a parachute is that a paraglider is designed for flight. A paraglider is a canopy that is launched with the help of a person's legs, filled with air, using which some pilots can fly more than 300 km and rise above 7000 meters. The paraglider is easy to take off, control and land, and fits in a backpack.

2. Motor paraglider

A motor paraglider (or “paramotor”) is a paraglider with a back-mounted power unit that ensures take-off and movement in the air. A motorized glider allows you to make your flight more dynamic and give it new, bright colors that you won’t get when jumping with a parachute or going into the air on a hang glider.

3. CMC Leopard

The world's smallest passenger aircraft, perhaps the most outstanding high-speed light aircraft ever designed and flown. The good aerodynamic shape of the Leopard, according to the designer’s calculations, even with engines of such low thrust will provide it with a speed of 870 km/h and a flight range of 2775 km. It can be operated on a runway with a length of 700-800 m. After the first flight, test pilot A. McVitie said that the Leopard turned out to be obedient to control, quite stable and not prone to stalling. Evaluating the so-called “tailerons” used by Chichester-Miles, that is, the differentially deflected halves of the stabilizer, the tester stated that he did not notice much of a difference in control.

4.Gen H-4

The smallest helicopter. The single-seat rotary-wing aircraft model GEN H-4 began to be developed by the Japanese designer Gennai Yanasigawa in the late 90s of the last century. The new helicopter was supposed to be compact in size and, as a result, become a very popular vehicle. Despite its fairly simple design, the GEN H-4 helicopter is highly reliable, ensuring complete safety during flight operations, which has been confirmed by dozens of tests and subsequent use of this aircraft, which, unfortunately, due to its limited capabilities, never was able to gain wide popularity among the public.

5. Colomban Cri-Cri

Who today does not know, at least in the circles of light aviation enthusiasts, the name and vicissitudes of a small twin-engine aircraft called “Cri-Cri” - an aircraft that could be seen at many aviation festivals and which became the subject of numerous articles and publications press. It all started in 1958, when the first mention of a small single-seat aircraft with two engines with a total power of 20 hp appeared. The first flight of the MK-10 "Cri-Cri" (F-WTXJ) prototype took place on July 19, 1973. In front of a small group of spectators, photographers and television cameramen, Robert Buisson, a 68-year-old pilot with more than 12,000 flight hours, took off from earth an unusual plane. In flight, the Kri-Kri resembled a small fighter plane.

6. Bede BD-5J Microjet

The BD-5 is a small single-seat aircraft with a twin-cylinder, two-stroke engine. The prototype (N500BD) first flew on September 12, 1971. The aircraft had a short fuselage with a glider-type cockpit, in which the pilot was located in a reclining position. The pushing propeller was located behind the tail and was connected to the engine using an extended shaft and a V-belt drive. Subsequently, Bede developed a version with a jet engine with a thrust of about 90 kg. The aircraft was produced in the form of a set of blanks, from which anyone could assemble the aircraft.

7. McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

An American jet aircraft designed as an escort fighter that could be based on the Convair B-36 heavy bomber. The cabin volume was only 0.74 m3. Due to such cramped conditions, the pilot's seat could not be made adjustable in height, but it was possible to adjust the machine gun sight and pedals. The working ceiling of the Convair B-36 of the first models was as much as 13 km, therefore, despite the modest volume of the cabin, it was heated, pressurized and pressurized. In addition, the plane had a high-pressure oxygen system and a cylinder with a supply of oxygen for the pilot to breathe in case of an emergency exit from the plane.

8. Flyboard Air (flying board)

Testing of the invention of the Frenchman Frank Zapata has been completed. The Flyboard Air allows a person to fly through the air at speeds of up to 150 km per hour! And at the same time, there are no wings - only a special stand on which four jet engines are mounted. Each with 250 horsepower. The kerosene supply is located in the backpack tank on the pilot's back. The flying board is controlled using a remote control in the pilot's hand and tilting the platform with his feet.

9. Bumble Bee 2

The smallest aircraft in the world in terms of wingspan. The title of “the smallest aircraft in the world” passed from model to model quite often. The first official holder of this title was the California-built Wee Bee, which made its first flight in 1948. Over the next four years, engineers Ray Stits with the Junior aircraft and Wilbur Stabe with the Little Bit aircraft entered the fray. In 1952, Stits put an end to it: his new mini-plane Stits SA-2A Sky Baby had a wingspan of 2.18 meters, and the record stood until the 1980s. Yes, the main parameter of the size of the aircraft is precisely the wingspan; the length may be slightly larger than the previous record holder.

10. Hang glider

Our rating is completed by a hang glider. A non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft designed according to a tailless design with a swept wing, the flight of which is controlled by shifting the center of mass due to the movement of the pilot relative to the suspension point. Flight control is carried out by the pilot by moving his body relative to the suspension point. Landing is done on your feet.

Man has long dreamed of learning to fly like a bird, and flying machines are exactly what this desire and the scientific and technical vector of human development have led him to. Aircraft are a long branch of evolution and progress, starting with the first unsuccessful attempts to create a muscle plane (like the one with which Icarus failed) and ending with modern Boeings, fighters, bombers, spacecraft - everything that allows us to move, bypassing land and sea. Despite the seemingly unimaginably complex technology behind them, aircraft are for the most part considered a relatively safe and fast means of transportation. Only tragedies that claim the lives of several hundred people at once cause a special resonance. However, a person’s desire is the law, and it is safe to say that he has exceeded the plan to repeat the feat of the birds of this world.

Do you think the flying skateboard (hoverboard) from the movie "Back to the Future" actually exists? This may be a discovery for many, but a fantastic vehicle has long been created and used for flight. It's called Flyboard Air and was invented

It's amazing what kind of aircraft you can put together with a lot of effort, creativity and a lot of money. I bring to your attention a selection of unusual and sometimes quite strange aircraft.

NASA's M2-F1 project was nicknamed the "flying bathtub." The developers saw its main purpose as being used as a capsule for landing astronauts. The first flight of this wingless aircraft took place on August 16, 1963, and exactly three years later on the same day, the last one took place.

Remote controlled. From mid-1979 to January 1983, NASA tested two remotely piloted HiMAT vehicles. Each aircraft was approximately half the size of the F-16, but had nearly twice the maneuverability. At transonic speed of sound at an altitude of 7500 m, the device could make a turn with an overload of 8 g; for comparison, the F-16 fighter at the same altitudes can withstand only 4.5 g. At the end of the research, both devices were preserved:

Tailless. A McDonell Douglas X-36 prototype aircraft built for one purpose: to test the flying capabilities of tailless aircraft. It was built in 1997 and, as planned by the developers, could be controlled remotely from the ground:

Crooked. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - experimental and the world's first oblique-wing aircraft by Ames Research Center and Burt Rutan. It was built in 1979 and made its first flight on December 29 of the same year. Tests were carried out until the beginning of 1982. During this time, 17 pilots mastered the AD-1. After the program was closed, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos, where it is still located:

With rotating wings. Boeing Vertol VZ-2 is the world's first aircraft using the rotating wing concept, with vertical/short take-off and landing. The first flight with vertical take-off and hovering was made by VZ-2 in the summer of 1957. After a series of successful tests, VZ-2 was transferred to NASA Research Center in the early 60s:

The largest helicopter. In connection with the needs of the Soviet national economy and armed forces in the design bureau named after. M. L. Mil in 1959 began research on a super-heavy helicopter. On August 6, 1969, the MI V-12 helicopter set an absolute world record for lifting a load - 40 tons to a height of 2,250 meters, which has not been surpassed to date; In total, the B-12 helicopter set 8 world records. In 1971, the B-12 helicopter was successfully demonstrated at the 29th International Aerospace Show in Paris, where it was recognized as the “star” of the show, and then in Copenhagen and Berlin. The B-12 is the heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world:

Flying saucer. VZ-9-AV Avrocar is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed by the Canadian company Avro Aircraft Ltd. The development of the aircraft began in 1952 in Canada. On November 12, 1959, it made its first flight. In 1961, the project was closed, as officially stated due to the inability of the “plate” to rise above 1.5 meters from the ground. A total of two Avrocar devices were built:

The Northrop XP-79B flying wing fighter, equipped with two jet engines, was built in 1945 by the American company Northrop. It was supposed to dive on enemy bombers and destroy them by cutting off the tail section. On September 12, 1945, the plane made its only flight, which ended in disaster after 15 minutes of flight:

Airplane-spaceship. Boeing X-48 is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle created jointly by Boeing and NASA. The device uses one of the varieties of a flying wing. On July 20, 2007, it was the first to rise to a height of 2,300 meters and land after 31 minutes of flight. The X-48B was named the Times' Best Invention of 2007.

Futuristic. Another NASA project - NASA Hyper III - an aircraft created in 1969:

Experimental aircraft Vought V-173. In the 1940s, American engineer Charles Zimmerman created an aircraft with a unique aerodynamic design, which still continues to amaze not only with its unusual appearance, but also with its flight characteristics. For his unique appearance, he was awarded many nicknames, among which was “Flying Pancake.” It became one of the first vertical/short take-off and landing vehicles:

Descended from heaven. The HL-10 is one of five NASA Flight Research Center aircraft used to study and test the ability to safely maneuver and land a low lift-to-drag vehicle after returning from space:

Reverse sweep. Su-47 "Berkut" is a Russian carrier-based fighter project developed at the Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi. The fighter has a forward-swept wing; composite materials are widely used in the airframe design. In 1997, the first flying example of the Su-47 was built, now it is experimental:

Striped. The Grumman X-29 is a prototype forward-swept wing aircraft developed in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). A total of two copies were built by order of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency:

Vertical take-off. The LTV XC-142 is an American experimental tilt-wing vertical take-off and landing transport aircraft. Made its first flight on September 29, 1964. Five aircraft were built. The program was discontinued in 1970. The only surviving example of the aircraft is on display at the US Air Force Museum:

Caspian Monster. “KM” (Mock-up Ship), also known abroad as the “Caspian Monster”, is an experimental ekranoplan developed at the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev. The ekranoplan had a wingspan of 37.6 m, a length of 92 m, and a maximum take-off weight of 544 tons. Before the appearance of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. Tests of the “Caspian Monster” took place in the Caspian Sea for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, due to a pilot error, the KM crashed; there were no casualties. After which no operations were carried out to restore or build a new copy of the CM:

Air whale. Super Guppy is a transport aircraft for transporting oversized cargo. Developer - Aero Spacelines. Released in five copies in two modifications. First flight - August 1965. The only flying “air whale” is owned by NASA and is used to deliver large items to the ISS.

The dream of human conquest of air space is reflected in the legends and traditions of almost all peoples inhabiting the Earth. The first documentary evidence of human attempts to lift an aircraft into the air dates back to the first millennium BC. Thousands of years of attempts, work and reflection led to full-fledged aeronautics only at the end of the 18th century, or rather to its development. First the hot air balloon appeared, and then the Charlier. These are two types of lighter-than-air aircraft - a balloon; later the development of aerostat technology led to the creation of airships. And these aerial leviathans were replaced by heavier-than-air vehicles.

Around 400 BC. e. In China, kites began to be used en masse not only for entertainment, but also for purely military purposes, as a means of signaling. This device can already be characterized as a heavier-than-air device, which has a rigid structure and uses the aerodynamic lift of the oncoming flow due to jet air currents to maintain in the air.

Aircraft classification

An aircraft is any technical device that is intended for flight in air or outer space. The general classification distinguishes between lighter-than-air, heavier-than-air and spacecraft. Recently, the design of related devices has been increasingly developing, especially the creation of a hybrid air-space vehicle.

Aircraft can be classified in other ways, for example, according to the following criteria:

according to the principle of operation (flight);
according to the control principle;
by purpose and scope of application;
by type of engines installed on the aircraft;
on design features relating to the fuselage, wings, tail and landing gear.

Briefly about aircraft.

1. aeronautical aircraft. Aircraft are considered lighter than air. The air shell is filled with light gas. These include airships, balloons and hybrid aircraft. The entire design of this type of apparatus remains entirely heavier than air, but due to the difference in the densities of the gas masses in and outside the shell, a pressure difference is created and, as a result, a buoyancy force, the so-called Archimedes force.

2. Aircraft using aerodynamic lift strength. This type of device is considered heavier than air. Their lifting force is created due to geometric surfaces - wings. The wings begin to support the aircraft in the air only after air currents begin to form around their surfaces. Thus, the wings begin to operate after the aircraft reaches a certain minimum speed of “operation” of the wings. A lifting force begins to form on them. Therefore, for example, in order for an airplane to take off or descend from it to the ground, mileage is needed.

Gliders, airplanes, ground effect vehicles and cruise missiles are devices in which lift is generated by flow around the wing;
Helicopters and similar units, their lift force is generated due to the flow around the rotor blades;
Aircraft having a load-bearing body created according to the “flying wing” design;
Hybrid are vertical take-off and landing devices, both airplanes and rotorcraft, as well as devices combining the qualities of aerodynamic and space aircraft;
Dynamic air cushion vehicles of the ekranoplan type;

3. co SMIC LA. These devices are designed specifically to work in airless space with negligible gravity, as well as to overcome the gravitational force of celestial bodies to enter outer space. These include satellites, spacecraft, orbital stations, and rockets. Movement and lifting force is created due to jet thrust, by discarding part of the mass of the apparatus. The working fluid is also formed due to the transformation of the internal mass of the apparatus, which, before the start of the flight, still consists of an oxidizer and fuel.

The most common aircraft are airplanes. When classified, they are divided according to many criteria:

Helicopters are in second place in popularity. They are also classified according to various criteria, for example, by the number and location of rotors:

having single-rotor a scheme that assumes the presence of an additional tail rotor;
coaxial scheme - when two main rotors are on the same axis above each other and rotate in different directions;
longitudinal- this is when the rotors are located on the axis of movement one after another;
transverse- the propellers are located on the sides of the helicopter fuselage.

1.5 - transverse design, 2 - longitudinal design, 3 - single-screw design, 4 - coaxial design

In addition, helicopters can be classified by purpose:

for passenger transportation;
for combat use;
for use as vehicles for the transportation of goods for various purposes;
for various agricultural needs;
for the needs of medical support and search and rescue operations;
for use as air valve devices.

A Brief History of Aviation and Aeronautics

People who are seriously involved in the history of the creation of aircraft determine that some device is an aircraft, primarily based on the ability of such a unit to lift a person into the air.

The earliest known flight in history dates back to 559 AD. In one of the states in China, a man sentenced to death was attached to a kite and, after launching, he was able to fly over the city walls. This kite was most likely the first monocoque glider.

At the end of the first millennium AD, in Muslim Spain, the Arab scientist Abbas ibn Farnas designed and built a wooden frame with wings, which had a semblance of flight controls. He was able to take off on this prototype hang glider from the top of a small hill, stay in the air for about ten minutes and return to the starting point.

1475 - the first scientifically serious drawings of aircraft and a parachute are considered to be those made by Leonardo da Vinci.

1783 - the first flight with people was made in a Montgolfier hot air balloon, in the same year a balloon with a helium-filled balloon rose into the air and the first parachute jump was performed.

1852 - the first airship with a steam engine completed a successful flight and returned to the starting point.

1853 - a glider with a man on board took off.

1881 - 1885 - Professor Mozhaisky receives a patent, builds and tests an aircraft with steam engines.

1900 - Zeppelin's first rigid airship was built.

1903 - The Wright brothers perform the first truly controlled flights in piston-engined aircraft.

1905 - The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is created.

1909 - the All-Russian Aero Club, created a year ago, joins the FAI.

1910 - the first seaplane took off from the water surface, in 1915 the Russian designer Grigorovich launched the M-5 flying boat.

1913 - the founder of bomber aircraft, Ilya Muromets, was created in Russia.

1918, December - TsAGI was organized, headed by Professor Zhukovsky. This institute will determine the direction of development of Russian and world aviation technology for many decades.

1921 - Russian civil aviation is born, transporting passengers on Ilya Muromets aircraft.

1925 - ANT-4, a twin-engine all-metal bomber aircraft, takes flight.

1928 - the legendary U-2 training aircraft was put into serial production, on which more than one generation of outstanding Soviet pilots would be trained.

At the end of the twenties, the first Soviet gyroplane, a rotary-wing aircraft, was designed and successfully tested.

The thirties of the last century were a period of various world records set on aircraft of various types.

1946 - The first helicopters appear in civil aviation.

In 1948, Soviet jet aviation was born - the MiG-15 and Il-28 aircraft, and in the same year the first turboprop aircraft appeared. A year later, the MiG-17 was launched into mass production.

Until the mid-forties of the 20th century, the main building materials for aircraft were wood and fabric. But already in the first years of the Second World War, wooden structures were replaced by all-metal structures made of duralumin.

Aircraft design

All aircraft have similar structural elements. For aircraft lighter than air - some, for vehicles heavier than air - others, for spacecraft - others. The most developed and numerous branch of aircraft are heavier-than-air devices for flight in the Earth's atmosphere. All heavier-than-air aircraft have basic common features, since all aerodynamic aeronautics and subsequent flights into space began with the very first design scheme - the design of an airplane, or airplane in other words.

The design of an aircraft such as an airplane, regardless of its type or purpose, has a number of common elements that are required for this device to fly. The classic scheme looks like this.

Airplane glider.

This term refers to a one-piece structure consisting of a fuselage, wings and tail. In fact, these are separate elements that have different functions.

A) Fuselage - This is the main power structure of the aircraft, to which the wings, tail, engines and take-off and landing devices are attached.

The fuselage body assembled according to the classical scheme consists of:
- bow;
- central or load-bearing part;
- tail section.

In the bow of this structure, as a rule, radar and radio-electronic aircraft equipment and the cockpit are located.

The central part carries the main power load; the wings of the aircraft are attached to it. In addition, it houses the main fuel tanks and central electrical, fuel, hydraulic and mechanical lines. Depending on the purpose of the aircraft, inside the central part of the fuselage there may be a cabin for transporting passengers, a transport compartment for stowing transported cargo, or a compartment for stowing bombs and missiles. Options for tankers, reconnaissance aircraft or other special aircraft are also possible.

The tail section also has a powerful power structure, since it is designed to attach the tail unit to it. In some modifications of aircraft, engines are located on it, and for bombers such as IL-28, TU-16 or TU-95, this part may have an air gunner’s cabin with guns.

In order to reduce the frictional resistance of the fuselage against the incoming air flow, the optimal shape of the fuselage with a pointed nose and tail is selected.

Considering the heavy loads on this part of the structure during flight, it is made of all-metal elements using a rigid design. The main material in the manufacture of these elements is duralumin.

The main elements of the fuselage structure are:
— stringers — providing longitudinal rigidity;
- spars - providing transverse rigidity to the structure;
- frames - channel-type metal elements, having the form of a closed frame of different sections, fastening stringers and ailerons into a given fuselage shape;
- outer skin - metal sheets made of duralumin or composite materials prepared in advance according to the shape of the fuselage, which are attached to stringers, spars or frames, depending on the design of the aircraft.

Depending on the shape specified by the designers, the fuselage can create a lift force from twenty to forty percent of the entire lift force of the aircraft.

The lift force, due to which an aircraft heavier than air remains in the atmosphere, is a real physical force generated when the oncoming air flow flows around the wing, fuselage and other structural elements of the aircraft.

The lift force is directly proportional to the density of the medium in which the air flow is formed, the square of the speed with which the aircraft moves and the angle of attack formed by the wing and other elements relative to the oncoming flow. It is also proportional to the area of the aircraft.

The simplest and most popular explanation for the occurrence of lift is the formation of a pressure difference in the lower and upper parts of the surface.

b) Airplane wing- this is a structure that has a load-bearing surface to generate lifting force. Depending on the type of aircraft, the wing can be:
- straight;
- arrow-shaped;
- triangular;
- trapezoidal;
— with forward sweep;
- with variable sweep.

The wing has a center section, as well as left and right half-planes, which can also be called consoles. If the fuselage is made in the form of a load-bearing surface like that of a Su-27 type aircraft, then there are only left and right half-planes.

Depending on the number of wings, there can be monoplanes (this is the main design of modern aircraft) and biplanes (an example is the An-2) or triplanes.

Based on their location relative to the fuselage, the wings are classified as low-mounted, mid-mounted, high-mounted, “parasol” (that is, the wing is located above the fuselage). The main structural elements of the wing are spars and ribs, as well as metal skin.

Mechanization is attached to the wing, providing control of the aircraft - these are ailerons with trim tabs, and also related to takeoff and landing devices - these are flaps and slats. After their extension, flaps increase the wing area, change its shape, increasing the possible angle of attack at low speed and provide an increase in lift during takeoff and landing. Slats are devices for leveling the air flow and preventing turbulence and jet stalling at high angles of attack and low speeds. In addition, there can be spoilers-ailerons on the wing - to improve the controllability of the aircraft and spoilers-spoilers - as additional mechanization that reduces the lift and braking the aircraft in flight.

Fuel tanks can be placed inside the wing, for example, like on the MiG-25 aircraft. Signal lights are located at the wingtips.

V) Tail unit.

Two horizontal stabilizers are attached to the rear fuselage of the aircraft - this is the horizontal tail and the vertical fin - this is the vertical tail. These aircraft design elements provide stabilization of the aircraft in flight. Structurally, they are made in the same way as the wings, only they are much smaller in size. The elevators are attached to the horizontal stabilizers, and the rudder is attached to the keel.

Take-off and landing devices.

A) Chassis - main device belonging to this category .

Landing gear strut. Rear trolley

An aircraft landing gear is a special support designed for take-off, landing, taxiing and parking of an aircraft.

Their design is quite simple and includes a stand with or without shock absorbers, a system of supports and levers that ensure a stable position of the stand in the extended position and its quick retraction after takeoff. There are also wheels, floats or skis depending on the type of aircraft and the take-off and landing surface.

Depending on the location on the glider, various schemes are possible:
— landing gear with a front strut (the basic design for modern aircraft);
- a landing gear with two main struts and a tail support (an example is the Li-2 and An-2, which is currently practically not used);
— bicycle chassis (such a chassis is installed on the Yak-28 aircraft);
— a chassis with a front strut and a rear bar with a wheel that extends during landing.

The most common design for modern aircraft is a landing gear with a front strut and two main ones. On very heavy machines, the main racks have multi-wheeled trolleys.

b) Brake system. Braking of the aircraft after landing is carried out using brakes in the wheels, spoilers, spoilers, braking parachutes and engine reverse.

Propulsion power plants.

Aircraft engines can be located in the fuselage, suspended from the wings using pylons, or located in the tail of the aircraft.

Design features of other aircraft

Helicopter. The ability to take off vertically and spin around its axis, hover in place and fly sideways and backwards. All these are characteristics of a helicopter and all this is ensured thanks to a movable plane that creates lifting force - this is a propeller that has an aerodynamic plane. The propeller is constantly in motion, no matter at what speed and in what direction the helicopter itself is flying.
Rotorcraft. The peculiarity of this aircraft is that the take-off of the device is carried out by the main rotor, and the acceleration and horizontal flight are carried out by a classically located propeller installed on the theater, like an airplane.
Convertiplane. This model of aircraft can be classified as a vertical take-off and landing vehicle, which is provided by rotary theater engines. They are attached to the ends of the wings and after takeoff are rotated into an airplane position, in which thrust is created for horizontal flight. The lift is provided by the wings.
Autogyro. The peculiarity of this aircraft is that during flight it relies on the air mass due to the freely rotating propeller in autorotation mode. In this case, the propellers replace the static wing. But to maintain flight, it is necessary to constantly rotate the propeller, and it rotates from the incoming air flow, so the device, despite the propeller, requires a minimum speed for flight.
Vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Takes off and lands at zero horizontal speed, using jet engine thrust, which is directed in the vertical direction. In world aviation practice, these are aircraft such as the Harrier and Yak-38.
Ekranoplan. This is a device capable of moving at high speed, using the effect of an aerodynamic screen, which allows this aircraft to stay at a height of several meters above the surface. Moreover, the wing area of this aircraft is smaller than that of a similar aircraft. An aircraft using this principle, but capable of rising to a height of several thousand meters is called ekranolet. A special feature of its design is its wider fuselage and wing. Such a device has a large carrying capacity and a flight range of up to a thousand kilometers.
Glider, hang glider, paraglider. These are heavier-than-air aircraft, usually non-motorized, which use lift to fly due to the air flow around the wing or lifting surface.
Airship. This is a lighter-than-air apparatus that uses an engine with a propeller for controlled movement. It can be with a soft, semi-hard and hard shell. Currently used for military and special purposes. However, a number of advantages, such as low cost, high carrying capacity and a number of others, give rise to discussions about the return of this type of transport to the real sector of the economy.

People have been obsessed with the idea of taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all nations there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were wings imitating those of birds. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts usually ended tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. We will talk about iconic aircraft in our today's review.

1. Bamboo helicopter

One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or Chinese pinwheel) is a toy that flies upward when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 BC, the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

A flying lantern is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom under which a small fire is lit. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and general Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

The hot air balloon is the first successful technology for human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rosier and the Marquis d'Arlandes in 1783 in Paris in a hot air balloon (tethered) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern hot air balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest hot air balloon flight is 7,672 km from Japan to North Canada).

4. Solar balloon

Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air inside it using solar radiation. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balloons are large enough to lift a person into the air.

5. Ornithopter

An ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in history in an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made from lightweight, durable fabric (similar to nylon), a parachute is a device that is used to slow an object's movement through the atmosphere. The description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating back to 1470. Today, parachutes are used to release a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.

7. Kite

Originally constructed by stretching silk over a frame of split bamboo, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further improve this simple flying machine. For example, kites capable of carrying humans are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning, airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered by engines and contain crew and/or payload in one or more "pods" suspended beneath a gas cylinder.

9. Glider

A glider is a heavier-than-air aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air on its lifting surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some paragliders can be equipped with them to extend their flight if necessary.

10. Biplane

A biplane is an aircraft with two fixed wings that are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplanes): they allow for greater wing area and lift with a smaller wing span. The Wright brothers' biplane became the first aircraft to fly successfully in 1903.

11. Helicopter

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. There have been many concepts similar to modern helicopters over the past centuries, but it was not until 1936 that the first working helicopter, the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, was built.

12. Aerocycle

In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual aircraft. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended to be used by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle for the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult for untrained infantrymen to control. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a hot air balloon. Its main advantage is that the kite can remain in a fairly stable position above the rope's anchor point, regardless of wind strength, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.

14. Hang glider

A hang glider is a non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These devices have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in updrafts of warm air and perform aerobatic maneuvers.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air vehicle (i.e., airship technology) with the technology of a heavier-than-air vehicle (either a fixed wing or a rotor). Such designs were not put into mass production, but several manned and unmanned prototypes were produced, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jetliner, a jet passenger aircraft is a type of aircraft designed to transport passengers and cargo through the air, propelled by jet engines. These engines allow the aircraft to reach high speeds and generate sufficient thrust to propel a large aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger jet airliner with a capacity of up to 853 people.

17. Rocketplane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane glides. The rocket plane is suitable for flight at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of much greater acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.

18. Float seaplane

It is a type of fixed-wing aircraft that can take off from and land on water. The buoyancy of a seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float planes were widely used before World War II, but were then replaced by helicopters and aircraft operated from aircraft carriers.

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like float planes, they were subsequently phased out after World War II.

Also known by other names (such as cargo aircraft, freighter, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry cargo rather than passengers. At the moment, the largest and most payload-carrying aircraft in the world is the An-225, built in 1988.

21. Bomber

A bomber is a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily designed for long-range bombing missions - i.e., attacking strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.

22. Spaceplane

A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today there are five similar devices that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.

23. Spaceship

A spaceship is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transport of people and cargo.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything necessary for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from cold and cosmic radiation.

25. Drone

Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone is often used for missions that are too “dangerous” or simply impossible for humans to fly. Initially they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.

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