Journal of Aircraft and Spacecraft Technology Review Romanian Engineering "On the Wings of the Wind" 1Relly Victoria Petrescu, 2Raffaella Aversa, 2Antonio Apicella and 1Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu 1ARoTMM-IFToMM, Bucharest Polytechnic University, Bucharest, (CE), Romania 2Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, Advanced Material Lab, Second University of Naples, 81031 Aversa (CE), Italy Article history Abstract: The presented study proposes a commemoration of the main Received: 09-01-2018 artisans of the Romanian and world aviation, from its beginnings to the day. Revised: 12-01-2018 Very briefly are brought to the forefront, the main inventors of flying Accepted: 18-01-2018 machines and equipment that have lived here in the Romanian territory and have contributed substantially to the development of any type of flight. We Corresponding Author: Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu will talk about Traian Vuia, Aurel Vlaicu, Alexandru N. Ciurcu, Hermann ARoTMM-IFToMM, Bucharest Julius Oberth, Elie Carafoli, Anastase Dragomir, Radu Manicatide, Iosif Polytechnic University, Silimon, Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu, Petre Constantinescu, Dumitru Dorin Bucharest, (CE), Romania Prunariu, Henri Marie Coanda, George (Gogu) Constantinescu. George E-mail: [email protected] (Gogu) Constantinescu (4.Oct.1881 - December 11, 1965) was a Romanian scientist and engineer, often considered to be one of the most important Romanian engineers. He was responsible for creating a new field of mechanics, called "sonicity," which describes the transmission of energy through vibrations in fluid or solid bodies. He applied the new theory to numerous inventions: sonic, sonic, sonic and others. Among other achievements, there is also a pulling device among the propeller blades regardless of its speed and the first automatic gearshift. He has actively participated in the construction of English aircraft, the Bristol type, while he lived in England. Henri Marie Coanda (June 7, 1886 - November 25, 1972) was an Academician and Romanian engineer, aviation pioneer, physicist, inventor, inventor of the reaction engine and discoverer of the effect that bears his name. Henri Coanda was born in Bucharest on June 7, 1886, being the second child of a large family (Henri had four brothers and two sisters, a total of seven children). His father was General Constantine Coanda, a former mathematics professor at the National School of Bridges and Highways in Bucharest and former Prime Minister of Romania for a short period of time in 1918. His mother, Aida Danet, was the daughter of French doctor Gustave Danet. Traian Vuia (August 17, 1872 - September 3, 1950) was a Romanian inventor and an aviation pioneer who designed, built and tested his own planes, which at the time were among the first heavier aircraft than the air. On March 18, 1906, he made his first self- propelled flight (without catapults or other exterior means) with a heavier device than the air. In his first flight he managed to float about 12 m (40 feet) at Montesson in France on March 18, 1906. This was the first "certified" flight with the take-off and landing of the aircraft (unassisted from the outside), made with a monoplane aircraft powered by a wheelchair. Performing a mechanical flight with a heavier machine than the air was a fascination at the end of the past and the beginning of our age. Thousands of fools tried to accomplish it, while the "balloons," who at the end of the eighteenth century had managed to rise in the balloons of the balloons, were smiling with superiority, convinced that the future is theirs, those with more aerial vehicles light than air. Keywords: Romanian Engineering, Social Sciences, Modern Transportation, Flight, World Aviation © 2018 Relly Victoria Petrescu, Raffaella Aversa, Antonio Apicella and Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu. This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license. Relly Victoria Petrescu et al . / Journal of Aircraft and Spacecraft Technology 2018, Volume 2: 1.18 DOI: 10.3844/jastsp.2018.1.18 Introduction It is said that "the Romanian is born poet". And so it is, but we could say rather that "the Romanian is born and an engineer", having deeply embedded himself, the vocation of the builder, the innovator, the inventor. The great cathedrals, the beautiful monasteries built, or even the churches and churches (built or wooden) clearly show this vocation. After centuries, the "Voroneţ blue" still retains its vivid colors, even on the outer walls, beaten by rain, snow and wind. Suveica, the loom of war, the potter's wheel, the water and wind mills, the musical instruments, the wells or the fountains, the agricultural tools, the traditional Romanian houses with cerdac and porch, are only some proofs of the folk craftsmanship (engineering) over time. Ever since the beginnings of civilization on today's territory of Romania, the inhabitants of these lands have been pioneers in creation and have thought of things that others have found much later. Apolodor Bridge in Damascus is one of the ancient techniques of Romania. It was built between 102 and 105 AD by Christ of Emperor Trajan, Roman architect and constructor of Greek-Syrian origin, Apolodor (from Damascus) and "united" the Roman Empire with Dacia. The bridge was 1,135 meters long and 18 meters wide and was made of stone masonry with superstructure and oaken parapets. Among the last components were two small viaducts, also executed with stone masonry bolts and at each end of the bridge, above the grate, there was an impressive portal. One foot of this bridge is still preserved today in Drobeta Turnu-Severin (Aversa et al ., 2017a-e; 2016a-o; Berto et al ., 2016a-d; Mirsayar et al ., 2017; Petrescu and Petrescu, 2016a-c; 2013a-d; 2012a-d; 2011a-b; Petrescu, 2016; 2012a-b; 2009; Petrescu and Fig. 1: Traian Vuia's plane. This was the first certified flight of Calautit, 2016a-b; Petrescu et al ., 2016a-c; Petrescu et al ., a heavier machine than the air that took off and landed 2017 a-l). alone without outside assistance. The flight took place on March 18, 1906, at Montesson, France Materials and Methods Thousands of fools tried to accomplish it, while the Traian Vuia (August 17, 1872 - September 3, 1950) "balloons," who at the end of the eighteenth century had was a Romanian inventor and an aviation pioneer who managed to rise in the balloons of the balloons, were designed, built and tested his own planes, which at the smiling with superiority, convinced that the future is time were among the first heavier aircraft than the air. theirs, those with more aerial vehicles light than air. On March 18, 1906, he made his first self-propelled Such flight attempts with heavier devices than the air flight (without catapults or other exterior means) with a had taken place and for each of them betting, forecasting, heavier device than the air. verdicts were given. It was a permanent dispute between In his first flight he managed to float about 12 m old (oldest) aircraft with lighter-than-air vehicles and new (40 feet) at Montesson in France on March 18, 1906 supporters of airplane engineers (heavier than air airplanes (Fig. 1). This was the first "certified" flight with the capable of climbing and flying through the air, due to take-off and landing of the aircraft (unassisted from wings and of the engines available). the outside), made with a monoplane aircraft powered Finally, at the beginning of the 20th century (1903), by a wheelchair. two Americans, the Wright Brothers, managed to fly by Performing a mechanical flight with a heavier plane. But their apparatus could not detach itself from machine than the air was a fascination at the end of the the ground by the force of its engine, but was past and the beginning of our age. "launched", "propelled" by catapulting - that is, by an 2 Relly Victoria Petrescu et al . / Journal of Aircraft and Spacecraft Technology 2018, Volume 2: 1.18 DOI: 10.3844/jastsp.2018.1.18 external impulse - and only then set it to heights. The inventor of an original steam generator (1925) of his first man who rose from the ground only by the force of own design, which has found a wide application in the his aircraft engine, making the first mechanical flight in construction of thermal power plants. the history of world technology, was in 1906 a Banat: Traian Vuia, during the First World War, fought Traian Vuia. But how many adverse circumstances had for the unification of Transylvania with the Land, to conquer in order to realize his dream, how much even organizing the "National Committee of perseverance he needed. Romanians in Transylvania and Banat", editing a Traian Vuia was born in the commune of Bujor patriotic journal and manifestations. During the (nowadays named after him) in Caras-Severin County Second World War, though at an advanced age, was and he attended the high school in Lugoj, proving from part of the resistance movement in France, being the his childhood his skill in various crafts. president of the "Romanian National Front". In love with the technique and, above all, hoping to He returned to Romania in 1950, but died shortly be an aviator, he enrolled in 1892 at the Polytechnic after, crushed by a heavy disease, happy to revise his University of Budapest, School of Mechanics, where he native landscapes and contented that he had achieved his received his diploma of engineer. life's purpose, the construction and testing of the first Attracting also to justice, he enrolled at the courses of airplane heavier than the air, capable of fly. the Faculty of Law in Budapest, who had a non- Aurel Vlaicu (November 19, 1882, Binunte, near compulsory regime allowing him to work for himself (he Orastie, Hunedoara County - September 13, 1913, Băneşti, could work in a legal office to earn his living).