As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, WTOP presents “250 Years of America,” a multipart series examining the innovations, breakthroughs and pivotal moments that have shaped the nation since 1776.
The American Petroleum Institute is proud to partner with WTOP to bring you this series.
From the earliest days of flight to the era of mass air travel, energy has been the force behind our ability to board a plane and take to the skies, but flying did not become routine simply because airplanes were invented.
While early aircraft could lift off the ground, they were fragile and limited in how far they could go.
Flying only became reliable and accessible after advances in aviation fuel and engine technology made long-distance flight possible.
Without those energy breakthroughs, flying would likely have stayed a risky hobby for daredevils and inventors instead of becoming part of everyday life.
Early flight relied on familiar fuels.
For example, when the Wright brothers took to the air in 1903, their aircraft ran on gasoline similar to what powered cars.
Those early engines were weak by modern standards and burned fuel inefficiently, which meant flights were short and unsafe.
Pilots had little margin for error, and mechanical failures happened frequently.
Branching out with new fuel
As aircraft designs improved, engineers quickly realized that standard gasoline posed serious problems.
It could ignite too easily, burned unevenly and struggled to deliver consistent power, especially as planes climbed higher into thinner air.
Pilots needed engines they could trust, and engines needed fuel that behaved in a predictable way.
The search for better fuel was on.
By the 1920s and 1930s, aviation gasoline, known as “avgas,” was developed specifically for airplanes.
It burned more smoothly and could handle higher power without damaging engines.
In simple terms, it allowed pilots to push planes harder and fly farther without the engine shaking itself apart and failing.
That single improvement unlocked longer flights and far more dependable planes.
Fuel quality was becoming just as important as wing design.
World War II accelerated everything.
Fighter planes and bombers needed maximum power and reliability, leading to the mass production of high-performance fuels that helped aircraft fly faster, climb quicker and operate in difficult conditions.
Advances made during the war later carried over into the lives of civilians.
Jet fuel changes the game
The true turning point came in the mid-20th century with the arrival of jet engines.
Jets changed what flying meant, allowing planes to move faster, fly higher above the weather and carry many more people at once.
That efficiency reshaped the business of air travel, but jet engines needed a different kind of fuel.
Kerosene-based jet fuels like “Jet A” and “Jet A-1” were designed to burn steadily and safely in turbine engines.
They packed a lot of energy and were relatively easy to store.
Planes such as the Boeing 707 — and later the Boeing 747 — used jet fuel to make long-distance travel faster than ever before.
Travel times dropped, costs came down and airlines expanded routes across oceans and continents.
Flying was no longer just a novelty or a luxury.
With dependable fuel available worldwide, airlines could run tight schedules and connect people across long distances.
By the late 20th century, air travel had become routine.
It was a normal part of work, vacations and family life.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
