Abbas Ibn Firnas: The First Aviator

A thousand years before the Wright brothers created the first motorized airplane, a 9th century engineer and polymath from the Spanish (Andulusian) city of Ronda - Abbas Ibn Firnas became the first human in the world to successfully fly. His ingenious and life long work resulted in creation of a glider made from silk, wood, and eagle feathers, which he used at the age of seventy to successfully fly for over ten minutes. Abbas was a genius of his era and a master engineer. Some of his noteworthy inventions include the water powered clocks, Andalusian glass, an instrument that simulates the motions of the plants and stars, and a fully functional planetarium filled with special effects.