The Wright brothers discovered that a propeller functions like a rotating wing, and by adding a twist, they made it more functional. By the mid-1930s, advancements in variable pitch and research from NACA transformed propeller technology. As the jet age emerged, propellers became less popular for larger planes. However, designers later recognized that a high-speed turboprop equipped with a modern propeller could outperform even the most efficient jetliners.
Show
First Flights with Neil Armstrong
Episode
S03E13
Air Date
Dec 08, 1993
Season 3 Episodes
S03E01
Whirling Wings - Evolution of the Rotorhead
S03E02
Water Birds - Floatplanes and Flying Boats
S03E03
Jump to the Sky - Jet VTOL
S03E04
Tail First Flying - the Canard
S03E05
First Around The World
S03E06
Flying Blind
S03E07
Flying Wings
S03E08
Flight Control - Wing Warping to Fly-by-Wire
S03E09
Flash Of Glory - Aerial Combat Enters The Jet Age
S03E10
Flying the Mail
S03E11
Backyard Fliers - An Airplane In Every Garage
S03E12
First In Speed: Air Racing
S03E13
Propellers - Wings With A Twist