Aviation technology was accelerated by the Second World War as the military invested heavily in the development of aircraft that would help them travel further and faster. Fifty years ago aeroplanes were powered by propellers driven by piston engines and as their performance improved the planes got bigger and heavier, capable of carrying increasingly larger loads of people, supplies and armaments. The Cold War kept the process of development going and soon it was evident that air transport was overtaking travel by sea and rail.

The invention of the jet engine revolutionised aviation. It works by sucking air in at the front which is then compressed, mixed with fuel and ignited. This creates a burst of energy which is forced out of the rear of the engine to providing the thrust to push the aircraft forward. It also powers the turbines which suck more air into the engine to begin the process all over again. Although it was tried and tested in the early 1940's the jet engine came too late to be influential in the outcome of WW2. But by the 1960's, all fighter aircraft were powered by jets which meant they could fly at greater speeds and at higher altitudes than ever before.

During the 1950's commercial aircraft manufacturers and airlines realised the potential of jet flight as it meant planes could carry more passengers for greater distances over a shorter time. As the jet age took over the world began to shrink, changing not only the way we travel but also the nature of trade and commerce.

The biggest passenger jet in service today is the Boeing 747 'Jumbo Jet' but this is due to be superseded by the double-decker Airbus A380 when it comes into service in 2006. This giant of the skies will typically carry 555 passengers (maximum 840) and claims to be more fuel efficient than a car! Because today the emphasis for aircraft design is not just for speed, distance and capacity; new aircraft are being developed to use less fuel because airlines want to cut fuel costs. The new Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner, which is due to go into service in 2008, is designed to use 20% less fuel than other jet passenger planes by using lighter material in its construction. The Airbus A350 which will arrive two years later is another mid-sized plane designed to be fuel efficient.

The aviation industry has developed technologies to improve navigation, communication, safety and passenger comfort. Modern jet liners have sophisticated cockpits with digital instruments and systems that mean the plane can more or less fly itself once airborne. Modern commercial jetliners are equipped with 'black boxes'; data collection devices which record radio and cockpit conversations and the performance and condition of the aircraft while it's in the air. This system was developed in the 1950's when a series of air crashes baffled experts. They realised the need to record how planes and pilots perform in order to work out why accidents occur. Today air crash investigators rely on the black box for vital information which can be used to improve aircraft safety.