This account of the development of civil airworthiness comes from one who has been closely concerned. It is therefore a somewhat personal view. However, a tree in the heart of a wood must be forgiven if it knows best the trees in its immediate vicinity and if its perspective of the whole wood is restricted.

I have tended to relate the history of airworthiness to the development of airworthiness regulations, chiefly because these events are more clearly marked historically.