Our country is the birthplace of aviation. The first Russian airplane was built by Moshaisky in 1883. This proved the possibility of building heavier than air craft. A new science – aerodynamics appeared. Such leading scientists as Zhukovsky, Chaplygin and Tsiolkovsky carried on research in Russia. They worked out different theories. Experiments were conducted in a device know as the wind tunnel.
Aviation actually developed only after the October Socialist Revolution. All metal planes, long-distance bombers highly maneuverable fighters were built during the first years.
After World War 2 new important developments followed. Piston engines were replace by jet engines. They doubled the altitude and the speed of aircraft and proved opportunity to develop a network of civil airlines.
Today airplanes can fly safely in any weather and at any time of day and night, because they have modern instruments. The pilots can use two-way communication. There are also instruments for radio navigation during blind flying.
Jet aircraft provided rapid development of military aviation. Modern military planes can cover long distances at high speeds.
Research work and experiments in aeronautics are going on. As a result of great achievements in rocket engineering spacecrafts were built and research work in outer space began.
