From the Wright Brothers to today's major airlines we've come a long way in the amazing world of aviation. Leonardo da Vinci was the most famous early aircraft designer, producing a study in 1505 called 'Codex on the Flight of Birds.' The early days of powered flight were filled with exhilaration and peril. However, technology advanced with astounding speed, from wooden struts and bicycle wheels to jet engines in less than half a century. The story of aviation is about the mechanics, the pilots, the inventors and the thrill seekers. It's the story of ingenuity and perseverance, of a dream that refused to die.