WINGS #6 - Brittany Robinson

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

I think the most significant impact that aviation had on our world in the first one hundred years of flight would be the humongous increase in consumerism. Once mass air transit grew popular, it became a mass industry on its own. The idea of international tourism "took off" so to speak, as it became possible to travel almost anywhere. Because people could travel anywhere, the idea of vacations and business travel became a norm. So, when people traveled, they obviously needed someplace to stay. This is where Hilton hotels came in, in the 1950's. This also led to the rise in commercial culture, including the spread of popular food, restaurants, soft drinks, and all other products imaginable. When Americans traveled, I'm sure it was comforting to know that they could stay in an American hotel and still have access to American food and culture. In a more broad spectrum, I believe the rise in aviation made places and items from around the world a lot more universal than they had been previously. Different cultures could assumedly be more mixed, and people from around the world could travel to different areas to learn about their culture(s).

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

Especially because I am not directly involved in the field, I think it is almost impossible to predict what the future may hold for aviation. Even the Wright Brothers could not predict what was to become of the aviation industry. They simply thought that long flights to distant places would never be possible, and that aviation would mainly be for cargo and/or mail instead of people. 

Post 9/11, aviation became something a little more scary than leisurely. A lot of top companies went bankrupt, and it was thought that the industry was aging. Today, I believe that it has somewhat regained its threshold, but I'm not sure if it will ever be the same. However, I do think that something big can or will change. I think we are capable of something bigger and better than just planes. When the future is represented in TV shows, movies, etc. there are always crazy flying aircrafts. Far enough into the future, I think something like these could replace cars in a heartbeat. One thing is for sure- most people during our age still dream of the ability to fly, and I don't think that idea is going to be one that just dies out.