University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 283: Aeronautics: 1869
Learn about the first efforts to build a flying machine in this discussion of a Harper's magazine article from 1869 in this transcript of a radio broadcast.
Other
Arkansas Air Museum at Drake Field: Arkansas Air Museum
Visit this resource to browse the museum's collection of early and historic planes and engines. Includes special exhibits of people from Arkansas who have made aviation history.
Royal British Colombia Museum (Canada)
First in the Air in British Columbia
The Royal British Columbia Museum traces the achievements of BC's first men to travel into the colony's atmosphere in the air. The site discusses the hot air balloon flight of Professor Leclaire in 1880 and the flight of Charles K....
Purdue University
George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers
The world's largest collection of Amelia Earhart papers, memorabilia and artifacts.
Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum: America by Air:the Jet Age, 1958 Today
Learn about the changes that have occurred in commercial jet travel since 1958, when jet passenger service began in the United States.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Machine: Airplane
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...
Other
Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co.: The Wright Story
A detailed look at the lives of Orville and Wilbur Wright, offering an overview of their childhood and career choices, their invention of the airplane, and the development and challenges of the airplane business. Provides embedded links...
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: General Chuck Yeager, Usaf
Biography with photos and audio on Chuck Yeager, an Air Force pilot credited with being the first man to break the sound barrier. Site includes photos, audio and text.
NASA
Nasa, Human Space Flight: Apollo 11 Mission
The story of the Apollo 11 lunar landing is told with dramatic details, pictures, and mission highlights.
Other
Helis.com: The First Mission
This helicopter history page provides the fascinating story of Commander Frank Erickson and the world's first helicopter school.
Other
Plane Writing
This resource contains quotations and information about aviation throughout history.
The Henry Ford
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: Wright Brothers
Brief history of the lives and accomplishments of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Includes a chronology of major events from Wilbur's birth in 1867 to Orville's death in 1948.
National Academy of Engineering
Greatest Achievements: Airplane
This page provides an overview of the history behind one of the greatest engineering innovations of all time:the airplane. There is also a timeline showing its development.
Ohio State University
Ohio State University: Admiral Richard E. Byrd
This concise site contains a brief history of Byrd's life along with an easy to read chronology of major events in his life.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Big Free Tailed Bat
The big free-tailed bat has long, narrow, tapering wings. The length and shape of the wings give it speed and enable it to fly long distances, but its flight is not as maneuverable as that of bats with shorter, broader wings. Learn more...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Western Pipistrelle
Western pipistrelles sometimes leave their roosts before sundown and can be mistaken for late-flying butterflies, because they are so tiny and fly slowly and erratically, with much fluttering of their wings. Most common at low elevations...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Greater Bonneted Bat
Greater Bonneted Bats live in rugged, rocky canyons typical of the arid Southwest, where they inhabit crevices in vertical cliffs. Because of their relatively large body size and narrow wings, these bats are unable to take off from a...
The Henry Ford
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: Wright Brothers
Biographical information on the Wright Brothers, including their childhoods, the Wright Cycle Shop, the world's first airplane, a chronology, and links to more information.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 2084: Bush Pilots
A commentary on bush pilots and the development of flying to remote areas. The 3-minute discussion focuses on the history of the development of bush flying and how flight made accessing remote areas of a country possible. This is a...
Curated OER
National Park Service: America's Space Program Exploring a New Frontier
This site includes a activity for teachers to use when teaching about America's space program. Also included is the history of the space program, maps, readings, images of the space program, and benefits that resulted from space research.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Art to Zoo Kiting Up the Sky
This article provides a brief outline on the history of kites as well as information on the forces of kite flight. There are a couple lesson plans included. One instructional activity directs students in writing kite poems. The other...
Other
Daniel Grossman: Airships: Lz 129 Hindenburg
A comprehensive look at the design, history, and crash of the Hindenburg airship. Includes flight plans, engineers' drawings, and photos of the interior and exterior. Many first- and second-person accounts of seeing the Hindenburg can be...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: William George Barker
A biography and military history of one of WWI's most famous flying Aces.
Other
Amelia Earhart: The Official Website
A woman wrapped in the mysterious lore of the past makes for an unforgettable character. That, plus the mystique of incredible bravery gives Amelia Earhart a lasting place in history. To this day, her death is unsolved and her character...