109 years ago, on a wind-swept North Carolina sand dune, two young men pushed a fragile contraption into position. One of them took up his station upon the ungainly thing, and moments later - for the first time - slipped the surly bonds of Earth in the worlds first powered heavier than air craft.
Three more times these Dayton, Ohio bicycle salesmen threw their unlikely invention into the air, finally achieving a flight time of almost 1 minute and a little over 850 feet...less than the length of a Midway class aircraft carrier.
From those humble beginnings we mastered the air, then overcame the sound barrier, and then finally entered space and put our feet on another celestial body - all in less than 100 years. We have not been back for quite some time, but I have hopes that we will continue expanding our horizons in the future.
I don't know what the next 100 years will bring, but I have a feeling it will be nothing we ever expected.
HT: Anna's Clue Tank
Getting There
10 months ago
3 comments:
I have spent a lifetime fascinated by the only aircraft that in theory, can't fly.
Back in 98, my wife found a guy that would give me a introductory flight and for about 30 minutes, I was a helicopter pilot. It's too bad that now I couldn't pass a flight physical even with bribe money.
Well, there's always re-runs of Whirlybirds.
Looking back at the advancements of the last century has always excited me for what may come in the next. Personally, I'm holding out for flying cars. You can have the better mousetrap and longer-lasting lightbulb. We're living in the future, I demand my flying car!
Although, with the way things are going in this country right now, I would be happy to survive to a ripe old age.
Robert, helicopters don't really fly. The earth rejects them.
RA, roger that on the flying cars. We will eventually get out there again, maybe not in our lifetimes but eventually.
Thanks for dropping by!
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