Some of the oldest operating airports in the United States date back to the Wright Brothers. But what about Europe? Europe was the origin of human flight, which occurred in France in 1783 in a balloon, as well as many of the firsts in aviation. By the time of WWI, protracted legal battles with the Wright Brothers had contributed to holding the United States back in aviation relative to the Europeans. In the late 1910s, Europeans were at the forefront of aviation. Here is what to know about the oldest airports in Europe.