Timeline for Compressed air instead of steam in a steam engine, would that allow powered flight?

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Sep 17, 2023 at 8:51	comment	added	releseabe		@TigerGuy: I recall reading of a train, I think with a sophisticated 20th century steam engine and the engineers were dealing with IIRC a very steep grade and had to make decisions to increase power output which ultimately led to a horrifying explosion. My impression was that despite the simple concept of expanding steam, such engines were both complex and temperamental and the crew, even the stokers, had to understand their workings very well. Chrysler started his career in trains and that was enough education to found a decent-sized automobile business.
Sep 17, 2023 at 7:32	comment	added	Tiger Guy		@releseabe steam boilers were dangerous before people know how to build pressure vessels, but steam engines are fairly straightforward and not dangerous at all, unless you decide to interact with moving parts. In that way they are no more dangerous than any industrial packing equipment.
Sep 16, 2023 at 20:39	comment	added	releseabe		Well, the goal is to generate enough power to fly -- distance is a separate issue. I am amazed that a steam engine could even use compressed air and have no info on power generated. Steam engines were pretty complex and dangerous and the engineers were probably the equivalents intellectually I would guess of modern s/w developers and perhaps in those days thought of as being bright guys like telegraph operators were.
Sep 16, 2023 at 20:32	history	answered	Greg Locock	CC BY-SA 4.0