Editing History of aviation (section)

==== Rotorcraft ====
[[File:Elicottero sperimentale Enrico Forlanini 1877 Museo scienza e tecnologia Milano.jpg|thumb|Experimental [[helicopter]] by [[Enrico Forlanini]] (1877), exposed at the [[Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci]] of [[Milan]], Italy]]

In 1877, the Italian engineer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer [[Enrico Forlanini]] developed an unmanned [[helicopter]] powered by a [[steam engine]]. It rose to a height of {{convert|13|m|ft|abbr=off}}, where it remained for 20 seconds, after a vertical take-off from a park in [[Milan]].<ref name=imss>{{cite web|url=http://www.imss.fi.it/milleanni/cronologia/biografie/forlanie.html|title=Enrico Forlanini|publisher=Mille anni di scienza in Italia|access-date=13 March 2024|language=it|archive-date=18 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118124028/http://www.imss.fi.it/milleanni/cronologia/biografie/forlanie.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Milan has dedicated its city airport to Enrico Forlanini, the airport is also named [[Linate Airport]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/it/legal/airport-regulations/aeroporto-linate|title=L'aeroporto di Milano Linate|publisher=Aeroporto di Milano Linate|access-date=13 March 2024|language=it|archive-date=12 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312232355/https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/it/legal/airport-regulations/aeroporto-linate|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the nearby park, the Parco Forlanini.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/verde/verde-pubblico/parchi-cittadini/parco-enrico-forlanini|title=Scheda del Parco Forlanini|publisher=Comune di Milano|access-date=13 March 2024|language=it|archive-date=21 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421204101/https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/verde/verde-pubblico/parchi-cittadini/parco-enrico-forlanini|url-status=live}}</ref> In Milan he also has an avenue named after him, [[Viale Enrico Forlanini]].

The first time a manned helicopter is known to have risen off the ground was on a tethered flight in 1907 by the [[Breguet-Richet Gyroplane]]. Later the same year the [[Cornu helicopter]], also French, made the first rotary-winged free flight at Lisieux, France. However, these were not practical designs.