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See our newest exhibition, "On Silent Wings: Published Works on Gliding and Soaring Flight" in the Aviation Museum and Library. The development of gliders was vital to the advancement of heavier-than-air flight during the nineteenth century. English engineer George Cayley achieved a short flight in 1853. Brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright developed a series of gliders that led directly to the development of the first successful airplane, the Wright Flyer, in 1903. Following the public unveiling of their airplane, interest in aeronautics was primarily focused on improving powered flight. It was not until the 1920s that the Germans renewed interest in gliding, while also pioneering soaring techniques—using wind currents and thermal updrafts to gain altitude and remain aloft for extended times and distances. "On Silent Wings: Published Works on Gliding and Soaring Flight" is on display, pre-security, in the Aviation Museum and Library. http://bit.ly/368vIBH This image was posted on December 11, 2019.