ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

1908 in aviation

Well hello there little one! It’s time to learn about aviation in the year 1908.

A long time ago, before flying in airplanes was common, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the idea of being able to fly. In 1903, two brothers named Orville and Wilbur Wright built and flew the world's first successful airplane. But it wasn’t until 1908 that airplanes started to really take off (pun intended)!

One of the biggest accomplishments of 1908 was the very first international air show held in France. Pilots from all over the world gathered to show off their airplanes and compete in races and experiments. This helped demonstrate that flying was more than just a dream and that it could become a reality.

There were also many important milestones in aviation in 1908. In August of that year, Wilbur Wright broke his own record by flying for more than an hour straight, which was an incredible feat at the time. Later that same year, French engineer Henri Farman flew more than 112 kilometers (about 70 miles) in one flight, which set a new world record.

Another big breakthrough in aviation happened in December 1908, when the US Army bought its first airplane from the Wright brothers. This was a huge moment because it showed that airplanes had a future beyond just being a curiosity – they could be used for practical purposes like transportation and military missions.

Overall, 1908 was a very exciting year for aviation. It was a time when people were pushing the limits of what was possible, and airplanes were starting to play a bigger role in the world. Who knows where we would be today without these early pioneers and their love of flight!