Answer :
Final answer:
George Cayley contributed to aviation by developing principles of aerodynamics, making him a key figure in flight theory before the Wright brothers' first powered flight.
Explanation:
George Cayley is considered an important aviation contributor prior to the Wright brothers because he developed principles of aerodynamics. Cayley laid down the groundwork for the modern aeroplane by analyzing the key forces of flight—lift, drag, weight, and thrust—and he was the first to design a successful human-carrying glider which flew in 1853. Unlike his predecessors, Cayley focused on understanding the scientific principles that underpin flight, such as air pressure differences created by curved surfaces, which later led to the development of the modern aeroplane wing design.