Human Flight

The dream of flying had always been one of the greatest desires of humane history. People wanted to experience freedom, weightlessness and the incredible feeling of extending the own horizon in a previously unknown way. Now, it remains the question, who was the first that succeeded in sending a human being up in the air? It’s your turn to find that out!

Probably, all of you know the old Greek myth of Ikarus who was foolhardy enough to built wings and who flew to the sun. Unfortunately, his ambitiousness was a little bit exaggerated and therefore his flying machine and tragically also he himself got burned by the sun’s fire.
Although, this story is probably not realistic, it nonetheless proves that already the ancient Greeks were interested in this form of mobility. Does that mean they were also the first who made the transportation of people in celestial spheres possible?

For stimulating your thoughts more, we present you the Greek scientist Archytas who lived in the first half of the 4th century BC.  His existence is proved in Gellius’ 10th book. In this document is written that the ancient philosopher created a “pigeon” out of wood with a bladder of a bigger animal in it. Steam- or air pressure drove the body of air high up.  After a distance of hundreds of meters the flying machine landed again on the ground.

This was one of the first inventions that were really able to fly – so what do you think? Were the Greeks inspired by Archytas’ “wooden pigeon” and expended his machine until it was perfected and able to carry human beings? Did Greek geniuses create the first prototype of air planes, hot-air balloons or airships? Or do you consider something else as true?

                 Let’s put on your thinking caps and don’t forget: Speak if it’s Greek!