UNTIL THE 20TH CENTURY, FINALLY, IN 1903, ON A COLD, WINDSWEPT STRETCH OF BEACH IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE DRAMA CAME TRUE: HUMANS HAD FOUND A WAY TO CONQUER THE AIR. AND FROM THAT POINT ON, THERE WAS NO LOOKING BACK. IT WAS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT, AND IT TOOK A COMBINATION OF STUBBORN DETERMINATION, RELENTLESS TRIAL AND ERROR RESEARCH, AND NO SMALL MEASURE OF COURAGE. IN A SENSE, WHAT THE WRIGHT BROTHERS ACCOMPLISHED AT KITTY HAWK TYPIFIES THE WHOLE HISTORY OF FLIGHT, A HISTORY THAT IN MANY WAYS HAS DEFINED THIS CENTURY. PERHAPS EVEN MORE REMARKABLE THAN GETTING ALOFT WAS THE PACE OF PROGRESS THAT FOLLOWED ON THE HEELS OF THAT FIR FLIGHT. WITHIN 10 YEARS, AIR SHOWS WERE COMMONPLACE, AND NEW DESIGNS WERE PRODUCING NEW RECORDS OF DISTANCE AND SPEED ALMOST MONTHLY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, PLANES WERE PLAYING A ROLE IN WORLD WAR I, JUST AS THEY WOULD IN EVERY MAJOR AND MINOR CONFLICT TO COME. INDEED, THE REQUIREMENTS OF WAR DID AS MUCH AS ANYTHING TO SPEED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AIRPLANES. CENTURY OF FLIGHT TELLS THE WHOLE RIVETING STORY OF AVIATION, FROM THE DARING PIONEERS WHO SET THE STAGE FOR THE WRIGHTS TO THE ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE TAKEN FLYING MACHINES BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE SKY. DRAMATIC MOMENT ABOUND: THE RED BARON AND EDDIE RICKENBACKER DOG FIGHTING THEIR WAY TO GLORY. LINDBERGH CONQUERING THE ATLANTIC, AND EARHART LOST OVER THE PACIFIC; YEAGER FLYING FASTER THAN SOUND AND TEX JOHNSTON BARREL-ROLLING A 707; COMMERCIAL PILOT ALL HAYNES SAVING NEARLY 200 LIVES IN A CRIPPLED JET; COMMERCIAL PILOT ALL HAYNES SAVING NEARLY 200 LIVES IN A CRIPPLED JET HE COULDN'T STEER. AND THROUGH IT ALL RUNS THAT ONE COMMON THREAD OF REALIZING THE DREAM TO FLY. - from Amzon