Through a series of detailed international case studies, Adey traces the history of aviation over the past century, showing how the early promises of flight, symbolized and performed in the spectacular airshows at Hendon and Rheims, evolved into the devastating bombing campaigns of World War II and the rise of international terrorism. Along the way, we are shown how aerial mobilities may transform societies and subjects, shape individual rights and identities, and alter the very workings of the human body. Soaring beyond the concept of air travel as a metaphorical tool, Aerial Life offers startling historical evidence and bold new ideas about how the social and material spaces of the aeroplane are considered in the modern era.