<P> The latter part of the 19th century became a period of intense study, characterized by the "gentleman scientists" who represented most research efforts until the 20th century . Among them was the British scientist - philosopher and inventor Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, who studied lateral flight control and was the first to patent an aileron control system in 1868 . </P> <P> In 1871 Wenham and Browning made the first wind tunnel . </P> <P> Meanwhile, the British advances had galvanised French researchers . In 1857 Félix du Temple proposed a monoplane with a tail plane and retractable undercarriage . Developing his ideas with a model powered first by clockwork and later by steam, he eventually achieved a short hop with a full - size manned craft in 1874 . It achieved lift - off under its own power after launching from a ramp, glided for a short time and returned safely to the ground, making it the first successful powered glide in history . </P> <P> In 1865 Louis Pierre Mouillard published an influential book The Empire Of The Air (l'Empire de l'Air). </P>

What was the purpose of the first plane