Sir George Cayley

Quotes:
"Sir George Cayley, 6th Baronet was a prolific English engineer and one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics. Many consider him the first true scientific aerial investigator and the first person to understand the underlying principles and forces of flight. Sometimes called the "Father of Aviation", in 1799 he set forth the concept of the modern aeroplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion, and control. Often known as "the father of Aerodynamics", he was a pioneer of aeronautical engineering. Designer of the first successful glider to carry a human being aloft, he discovered and identified the four aerodynamic forces of flight--weight, lift, drag, and thrust--which are in effect on any flying vehicle. Modern aeroplane design is based on those discoveries including cambered wings. He is credited with the first major breakthrough in heavier-than-air flight and he worked over half a century before the development of powered flight, being acknowledged by the Wright Brothers. He designed the first actual model of an aeroplane and also diagrammed the elements of vertical flight."

-Wikipedia, Sir George Cayley

"Sir George Cayley is one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics. Many consider him the first true scientific aerial investigator and the first person to understand the underlying principles and forces of flight. His built his first aerial device in 1796, a model helicopter with contra-rotating propellers. Three years later, Cayley inscribed a silver medallion which clearly depicted the forces that apply in flight. On the other side of the medallion Cayley sketched his design for a monoplane gliding machine."

-FLYING MACHINES

Definition:
Sir George Cayley was certainly an important person in the steps to modern engineered flight. His discoveries about unpowered glider flight were improved upon by the Wright Brothers to make powered flight possible. His theories on the principles of flight HAVE been proven, and are still used today in the most modern jets.

Related:

 * Principles of Flight