Abbas Ibn Firnas: first 9th century engineer to fly using set of wings
A thousand years before the development of motorised aeroplanes, the polymath and engineer of the ninth century dared to create a heavier-than-air flying contraption.
The Wright brothers may have created the first powered aircraft, but Abbas Ibn Firnas, a 9th century engineer, is credited with being the first person to fly using a set of wings made of silk, wood, and genuine feathers.
Ibn Firnas allegedly leaped off a cliff from Yemen’s Jabal Al-Arus mountain when he was between 65 and 70 years old and glided in the air for at least “10 minutes.” He was disappointed and wounded by the brief journey. He realised that his inability to balance his aircraft in the air and subsequent crash landing were due to his ignorance of the mechanics of landing.
For a further 12 years, Ibn Firnas lived. After decades of research on bird flight and landings, he came to the realisation that slow landings are accomplished by the cooperative efforts of the tail and wings. The notion that led to the development of the ornithopter, an aircraft that resembles birds and flies by flapping its wings, is credited to Firnas. In the latter half of the 20th century, his flying machine schematics went on to become the fundamentals of aviation engineering.
Before it was eventually done, humans had long dreamed of being able to fly. Many tales and fables throughout history depict humans with wings performing amazing feats in the skies. According to Greek mythology, Icarus is said to have disregarded his father’s warnings and soared so near to the sun that his waxed feathers melted, causing him to crash land and drown in the sea.
When it comes to the feasibility of flying, two Chinese philosophers named Mozi and Lu Ban—who are also credited with creating the kite—actually conducted the first experiment in which an item “flew” in the air. They were able to obtain military intelligence from opposing kingdoms in the 5th century as a result of their innovative techniques.
Despite this, Ibn Firnas is still regarded as being at the top of his field because he was the first pilot to use a heavier-than-air aircraft.
He spent the majority of his adult life in the Emirate of Cordoba, one of the main centres of learning during the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the ninth century in Izn-Rand-Onda Al Andalus, which is modern-day Ronda, Spain.
Abbas Ibn Firnas: first 9th century engineer to fly using set of wings
According to some historical accounts, Armen Firman, who was an astute observer of nature but neither a scientist nor a polymath, may have had an influence on al Firnas. Firman was the one who initially created wooden plank wings that were covered in silk and bird feathers. Firman donned the wings and scaled Qurtuba’s highest mosque minaret in the early 850s before leaping off. He immediately failed in his endeavour and fell to the ground, but the flying machine inflates just in time to slow his descent. He was fortunate enough to avoid breaking any bones in the fall, and the delay in his landing may have even saved his life.
Ibn Firnas saw Firman’s journey while he stood amid the gathered, enthralled crowds who were all gazing up at the heavens in awe. Ibn Firnas became aware that further research was necessary into the act of flying in the air after being impressed by Firman’s conclusion.
For 23 years, he observed the flying patterns of many birds and objects. Then, despite his ancient age, he built his flying machine and leaped off Jabal al Arus in Yemen.
Ahmed Celebi, an Ottoman Turk, crossed the Bosphorus in 1630 after several centuries with great success.
Additional inventions
Ibn Firnas created water-powered clocks as a result of his intense interest in science and technology. He also conducted experiments with quartz crystals and sand to better understand the origin of these features. He is credited by several historians with creating transparent glass and related materials. He is also credited with being the inventor of the renowned Andalusian glasses, which are still popular and in use today. He is recognised with creating lenses that helped with reading, therefore the blind also profited from his work.
Ibn Firnas is descended from Berbers. The origin of his name is Afernas, which is currently a widely used and popular name in both Morocco and Algeria.
He has been honoured with numerous airports, bridges, hills, parks, roads, and scientific institutions, particularly in nations with a majority of Muslims. He has a statue nearby the Baghdad Airport, and Cordoba, Spain’s bridge over the Guadalquivir River bears his name.
He passed away between 890 and 895 AD, and according to several historians, his injury might have sped up his demise.
