Jim Wings Assignment 1

1. What impact did flight have on life in the twentieth century?

Flight didn’t just impact the twentieth century; it defined it. In the introduction of Wings: A History of Aviation From Kites to the Space Age, author Tom D. Crouch sites a poll conducted by USA Today and DC’s Newseum on the top stories of the 1900s. Surprisingly, both the readers and journalists polled listed the same top four: The bombing of Hiroshima, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the moon landing, and the invention of the airplane. The common factor? Flight.

The invention of heavier-than-air flight revolutionized multiple industries. From the beginning it was used as a military weapon, capable of scouting enemy lines and aerial attacks with machine guns and bombs. This later led to more advanced combat machines such as stealth bombers and UAVs. Planes also changed the travel landscape. More people than ever before can travel across land and seas rapidly and at relatively low expense. Shipping also saw a great boon from flight, with a lot of cargo being transported by airplanes instead of boats. Finally, the capabilities of space travel allow us to discover new frontiers beyond this world, which will lead to a new age of exploration.

5. Why did Wilbur and Orville Wright achieve success before their contemporaries?

The Wright Brothers, first and foremost, were of a different mindset than many of their contemporaries. They were not rich, old aristocrats and businessmen taking up flying as a hobby. They were young, middle class country boys with little formal education who embodied the American spirit. They were entrepreneurs and innovators, and they approached the problem of flight from a different angle. Being bike shop owners, they knew a flying machine would require precision controls, namely the ability to balance and turn, and they set out to design one that could be easily operated. Most aspiring aviators at the time only wanted to make a machine that flew in a straight line, which was ultimately of very limited value.

Furthermore, Wilbur and Orville were great problem solvers. Their knack for tinkering led them to build hundreds of models for testing purposes. They were meticulous and exacting in perfecting their design, refusing to be satisfied with what they had previously accomplished, as many of their rivals did. They also brilliantly took over all phases of the operation: designing, building, number crunching, piloting, teaching, and after their product was complete, managing the business aspects. This allowed them to go above and beyond their competition every step of the way. They had a vision as well as the smarts to create and sustain it.

7. When and what was La Grande Semaine d’Aviation de Champagne and what significance does it have in aviation history?

La Grande Semaine d’Aviation was a full week’s worth of flying events near Reims, France. Tens of thousands of spectators flocked to the plains to see their aviation heroes, such as Louis Bleriot, the first man to cross the English Channel by air, and upcoming pilots compete for a series of prizes. The Wright brothers refused to compete for business purposes, but four of their flyers were flown in competition. Sadly, one crashed, killing Eugene Lefebvre, the first pilot to die in an airplane accident. Other rising plane manufacturers were also represented, including Voisin and the four biggest engine companies: Antoinette, Anzani, Wright and REP.

As Wings states, “A great many records were set and broken that week,” as prize after prize was awarded. Many say the biggest spectacle of all was Glenn Curtiss, the official representative of the Aero Club of America, winning the James Gordon Bennett Trophy for the fastest flight. He flew at a record 46.5 mph. The real importance of the event, however, was that it served as a segue between the infancy stages of human flight and the industry stage. With the world looking on, flying had become a business.