Eras
Six eras, from the first hot-air balloon to today. Each essay sets key milestones in their technical, human and industrial context.
1783–1914
The pioneers (1783–1914)
From the balloons of 1783 to controlled aeroplanes: experiments, trades and institutions make flight practicable before the Great War.
6 min read
1914–1939
The Great War and the interwar years (1914–1939)
From industrial mobilisation in 1914 to the networks of the 1930s, aircraft became military tools and transport services whose reliability depended on organisation on the ground as much as in flight.
6 min read
1939–1958
The Second World War and the jet (1939–1958)
From wartime mobilisation to the first jet services: innovation, reconstruction and shared rules transform aviation.
6 min read
1958–1990
The golden age of air transport (1958–1990)
Jets, widebodies and European cooperation expand air transport amid growth, crises and changing professional practices.
6 min read
1990–2019
Globalisation and the digital age (1990–2019)
Liberalisation, global networks and digital design reshape aircraft, professions and the institutions of air transport.
5 min read
2019–2026
Crises and transition (2019–today)
From 2019 to October 2026: crises of confidence and mobility, industrial changes and energy research, without forecasts.
6 min read