How has the aeroplane evolved?

Answer 1

Througout the past 100 years or so, the requirements for speed and altitude has meant radical changes in the design of the aircraft from the original bi-plane two and three wing design. Then to the monoplane with its single wing and into the jet era with deltoid wings.

The latest designs of wing for the aircraft require that they can transition from atmospheric operation to space vehicles in such aircraft as the shuttle with its lifting body, and SpaceshipOne with its rotating wings.

In the same period we have seen engines change from aircooled rotary petrol engines to fuel injection and turbo chargers in the second world war and Jet engines in the 50's. The future of aircraft engines may be exotic space plane types such as the Scramjet engine, or the Pulse jet.