Early Airlines
What was the name of the first commercial airplane?
What is the Benoist Model XIV Airboat.
What is mail transported by aircraft called?
Airmail
What devices lit the transcontinental airway system?
Beacons
Except for the engine, what two materials were early aircraft made from?
Wood and fabric.
Compared with the first commercial airplane, do modern airliners carry more or fewer passengers?
More passengers.
How many passengers could the Benoist Model XIV Airboat carry?
One passenger.
What was the main advantage of airmail over older ways of sending mail?
It delivered mail faster.
Did airway beacons mainly help pilots navigate by day or at night?
At night
What is an aircraft with two wings stacked one above the other called?
A biplane.
Compared with the first commercial flight, are modern airliners generally faster or slower?
Faster.
Did the Benoist Airboat fly at a high or low altitude?
A very low altitude.
Which president gave Lt. Boyle a letter to deliver in 1918?
President Woodrow Wilson.
Did airway beacons mainly help pilots navigate by day or at night?
To help pilots navigate along the airway at night.
Why were bi-wing and tri-wing designs introduced for combat?
To provide greater maneuverability in combat.
How has the distance airplanes can travel changed since the first commercial flight?
Modern airplanes can travel longer distances.
Was the Benoist Airboat a fast or slow airplane?
Slow; it flew at a low speed.
Which pilot received a letter from President Wilson to deliver in 1918?
Lt. Boyle.
What does it mean for a pilot to navigate?
To determine position and follow a route to a destination.
What device synchronized machine-gun firing with the propeller?
Interrupter gear; accept synchronization gear.
Name two improvements in passenger convenience or comfort of modern air travel.
Any two: easier ticket booking, quieter airplanes, in-flight entertainment.
Why did the first commercial airline service fail?
The flights were too expensive.
Name two ways mail was carried through the air before powered flight.
Pigeons and air balloons.
Explain how beacons helped make nighttime airmail flights possible.
The lights marked the route, giving pilots visible guidance in the dark.
Explain how interrupter gear protected the airplane during firing.
It timed the gunfire so bullets passed between the moving propeller blades without hitting them.
Name four benefits of modern airline travel compared with the first commercial flight.
Any four: greater speed, longer range, more cargo, more passengers, increased affordability, easier booking, quieter airplanes, in-flight entertainment.