Sachdev Wings #6

1. In your opinion, what was the most significant impact aviation had on our world in the first one hundred years of flight?

There have been significant impacts aviation has had in its first 100 years: from WWI/WWII to man landing on Moon and putting a robot on Mars, there is no denying that aviation has impacted society on a large scale with historic moments, but I personally believe the biggest achievement aviation has had is in terms of accessibility. Back in the early 1900s pilots were very rare and it was something that came with a lot of risks, it was not really something that was accessible to the common man. Today, while it is by no means inexpensive, aviation is definitely more accessible to the masses. Anybody can become a pilot, more and more people are flying for travel or business and flight is not as esoteric as it used to be. And the impact is not just limited to flying- it has created a ripple effect throughout all industries. We can use our TVs, phones and cars in more complex ways than ever before because of satellites orbiting the earth. And we can save lives by studying weather patterns and knowing there’s a hurricane headed our way weeks in advance using similar technology. I deeply believe that while aviation has had big historic moments which deserve their share of the spotlight, the biggest impact has been to the common man.

2. What do you think the future holds for aviation in the twenty first century?

While aviation has been the driving force behind modern innovation for the last 100 years, I think there is still a lot of room for growth in this industry. I believe that accessibility is key, and I believe that this will continue to be the trend globally; as world economies continue to progress, aviation will continue breaking down national borders.

I also believe that by the end of the 21^st century innovators like Elon Musk and Richard Branson will lead mankind’s next big aviation dream of space travel a reality. I also strongly hope mankind discovers some sort of life outside of earth. While I am not a crazy lune who believes in intergalactic war, the possibility that we are the only living species in the universe is honestly a little scary.

While these are my personal beliefs, they are strongly limited by what I know to be true today. If I was someone living in the 1700s and someone would have told me man could fly, I would have dismissed them on a dime. So for the sake of innovation and mankind, I also wish that my expectations of what we are capable of are only miniscule to what we actually achieve in the 21^st century.