Inside this guide to aeronautical technology, readers will explore the history of air travel, from the earliest lighter-than-air balloons to the high-tech fighter jets of the modern world. This comprehensive volume addresses numerous topics, from inventors and their inventions, key manufacturers over the years, as well as the most exciting technological developments in aviation. Primary sources and dazzling photographs of airplanes are paired with thought-provoking text to help readers make the most of this reading experience. Diagrams and sidebars give readers further opportunities to expand their knowledge of airplane technology.