Abbas Ibn Firnas a renowned Muslim scientist from the Islamic Golden Age is credited with building the world's first flying machine nearly 1000 years ago. In 875 CE, at the age of 70 Ibn Firnas designed and constructed a flying apparatus using a lightweight wooden frame, silk fabric and eagle feathers. His profound knowledge of aerodynamics and his love with the physics of bird flight were reflected in this inventive apparatus which was designed to simulate bird flight.
Ibn Firnas conducted an experiment in which he successfully glided through the air for almost ten minutes after jumping over a cliff near Jabal Al-Arus. But he failed to successful landing since his design lacked a tail resulting in a crash landing and a severe injury to his back. Not with standing this setback Ibn Firnas's ground breaking contributions to aviation were a critical turning point in development of a flight. Wright brothers and Leonardo Da Vinci two later inventors who created more advanced flying machines centuries later were influenced by his efforts which were well ahead of their time.
Beyond his work in aviation Ibn Firnas left behind a legacy. He was a polymath who made important contributions to astronomy, engineering, medicine and other professions. He demonstrated his versatility and inventiveness by creating translucent glass, water clocks and corrective lenses. Ibn Firnas is now regarded as one of the first flight pioneers and his accomplishments serve as an inspiration to engineers and scientists throughout. His tale exemplifies the Islamic Golden Age's rich scientific legacy which was characterized by ground-breaking discoveries and inventions that influenced the path of human history.
