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?

In my opinion, the most significant impact aviation had on our world in the first one hundred years is space travel. Flight seemed impossible, but space travel was even imaginable in the beginning of the 1900s. With space travel has come new found knowledge of the world outside of Earth’s bounds. We have also been able to observe the Earth from a new perspective. Weather can be observed by space, helping to predict what will happen earlier. With space travel, more satellites have been produced and sent into space. This helped create faster communication along with the use of the Internet and cellular phones. Space travel has helped scientists understand how our universe is put together and put theory into practice. I know none of this would have been possible without the invention of the first airplane produced by the Wright Brothers. Our world has progressed and shaped into a new society with the influence of the new field of aviation.

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

            I think there is a lot in store as far as the future of aviation goes. No one thought anyone would actually be able to fly, let alone advance to the point of space travel. Wilbur Wright said in 1909, “No airship will ever fly from New York to Paris. No engine can run…for four days without stopping” (p 636). Little did Wilbur know, aviation started to really progress after his death. In the past 100 years, planes became faster, more powerful, and could carry more weight. All of this development happened within a short period of time. If all of these dramatic changes could happen so quickly, I believe several things could be developed in the field of aviation. There is plenty of research focused solely on aviation and aviation technology just in the Dayton area. With the research coming out of Dayton area and other research foundations focused on aviation located in the U.S. and around the world will be able to advance current aeronautical technology and create better equipment that will further the development of aviation.