Epic Adventure: Epic Flights

The first people to fly did so in hot-air balloons. Some 120 years later, the Wright brothers' heavier-than-air flying machine made powered, controlled flight possible. Ever since, aviators have aspired to fly faster, farther, and higher. Charles Lindbergh set the world alight with his nonstop flight across the Atlantic. Amy Johnson won hearts and acclaim flying solo from England to Australia in a small biplane. With advances in rocketry, a new era dawned. The world watched in awe as the Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the Moon. The Voyager claimed the last major record for fixed-wing aircraft, flying nonstop around the world. And aviation's last major record was set when the Breitling Orbiter 3 pilots flew their balloon nonstop around the world.