Wings #1 Reading Assignment

Wings #1 Assignment

Darian Black

January 21, 2014

honors Dayton Aviation Heritage

Question 1.) During the 20^th century the impact of flight was at an all-time high for American citizens. According to book, “Wings: The history of Aviation from kites to space ages”, “Images of flight was a part of our memory for many centuries.” In the fall of 1999, USA Today and the ‘newseum’, a museum in Arlington, VA devoted to the history of news gathering announced the results of a year-long poll in which 36,000 newspaper readers and a substantial number of journalists, were asked to select the top 100 news stories of the century. The atomic bombing of Japan led the public list, followed by the attack on Pearl Harbor, the landing on the moon and the invention of the airplane (Wings). The impact of flight during this time frame was so fascinating to citizens. For one, man has traveled by foot, buggy and automobile for centuries which was also restricting because man could only go so far on the ground. And once traveling became more advanced, limitations had instantly been removed. Anyone could travel to any part of the world without limitations of the ocean, gravel or the like because of flight.

Question 3.) According to “Wings,” the era of aviation began in 280’s BC when a Greek philosopher named Archimedes explained the aerodynamics of how hot air rises. Therefore, things placed in air with proper light weight can float which later on in the years the invention of the balloon came along. In between that time 280’s BC and now, philosophers and pioneers experimented with many gadgets that would later down the line led to the advancement of the airplane. For example, Sir George Cayley (1773-1857) called his invention a “flying parachute.” This was also called an aero plane later on appeared in print in 1871-1872 when engineer and inventor named Francis Wenham used that term to describe the stiff wings of a beetle. Former pioneer, Sir Cayley’s craft a glider built in 1804, was the predecessor of all fixed-wing flying machines. This invention had a horizontal 4 foot long pole, with flat surface attached to each end of the pole this object was called a kite. Overall, the era of flight has been with us for ages but, it had to go through some major developmental stages before it became as advanced like it is today.

Question 6.) The United States government desired more proof when it came to the Wright’s trying to sell their invention. As for other countries overseas like Europe, their government was more interested in the Wright’s bargain than the US army was. Britain’s colonel at the time was Colonel John E. Capper made generous efforts of showing his interest by visiting and meeting the Wright’s face to face. After meeting them Colonel Capper believed that Britain should develop its own aeronautical talent. Next to Britain was the French government. Their government dispatched military commission to Dayton to investigate and negotiate with the Wright’s in 1905 which in the end decided not to buy from the Wright’s just like Britain’s government didn’t. In Conclusion the Wright’s had a lot of powerful governments interested in buying their invention. And even though they didn’t buy from the Wright’s they obtained a great interest learn their own aeronautical talents within their country.