This post is a basic timeline of aviation. There are 34 innovations listed below chronologically by first flight. Source: Wikipedia
- 6th cen AD: man-carrying kite
- 1648: fixed glider wing aircraft
- 1783: manned hot air balloon
- 1848: triplane glider
- 1848: unmanned steam-powered propeller monoplane
- 1852: controlled steam engine aircraft
- 1871: aerodynamically stable fixed-wing monoplane
- 1874: monoplane with tailplane
- 1877: unmanned steam-powered helicopter
- 1879: monoplane with twin tractor propellers
- 1884: electric-powered airship
- 1890: steam-driven flying machine
- 1891: controlled untethered glider
- 1894: box kite aircraft
- 1896: unpiloted, engine-driven aircraft
- 1900: Zeppelin
- 1901: non-rigid airship (blimp)
- 1901: powered and controlled heavier-than-air flight (Gustave Whitehead)
- 1903: powered and controlled heavier-than-air flight (Wright Brothers)
- 1906: canard with wing dihedral
- 1907: Voisin biplane
- 1907: manned helicopter
- 1907: rotary-winged helicopter
- 1907: Demoiselle monoplane
- 1909: Farman III biplane
- 1914: commercial passenger flight
- 1919: autogyro rotorcraft
- 1929: rocket-powered flight
- 1929: flight instruments
- 1939: jet aircraft
- 1947: sound barrier broken
- 1952: commercial jet airlines
- 1961: manned space flight
- 1969: manned moon flight
