Introduction: Aviation and climate change in context

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Looking back in time, the history of aviation covers more than 220 years, at least if the brothers Montgolfier’s hot-air balloon is considered as the first functioning flying machine (see Grant, 2007). The balloon made its first manned flight in 1783, even though the brothers Montgolfier preferred not to be on board themselves. There then followed 120 years of various attempts to build manoeuvrable flight machines, until the Wright brothers achieved powered aeroplane flight in 1903. Within two and a half decades of the event, Charles Lindberg embarked on the first transatlantic flight (in 1927), and the speed of the development of aircraft accelerated: in the mid-1930s, Douglas DC-3s came into service, the first all-metal aircraft, which could carry 21 passengers. Another 15 years later, jet aircraft went into regular service with the de Havilland Comet and, somewhat later, the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC8, commencing the age of mass passenger transportation (Grant, 2007).
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationClimate Change and Aviation : Issues, Challenges and Solutions
EditorsStefan Gossling, Paul Upham
Number of pages24
PublisherRoutledge Taylor & Francis Group
Publication date25.02.2009
Pages1-24
ISBN (print)9781844076208
ISBN (electronic)9781849770774
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25.02.2009
Externally publishedYes