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?

 

I believe that the most significant contribution that aviation has had in the first one hundred years of flight has to be its contribution to the military. For thousands of years wars were fought on the ground by troops in relatively close quarters. This was nice in that it prevented many non-combatants from being in harm’s way, but it also led to long wars in which many men died. Now, with bombing capabilities and high-speed aircraft, everyone, including non-combatants, is at risk. However, now many military personnel are much safer because they are operating aircraft from far behind the battle lines. The main part of the war also does not last as long as it used to, although modern wars result in underground resistance movements and terrorist attacks which can really drag out a conflict that was won much earlier. Military flight has had an impressive effect on the world.

 

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

 

I think that in the next 100 years, the world will see the advent of an affordable personal aircraft. I do not believe that this aircraft will fully replace the car, but I do think that more than the very rich will be able to afford them. I would guess that they would be modeled similar to current helicopters, because they give the ability to land and take off from nearly anywhere. However, because of the danger posed by the blades of a helicopter in the general public’s hands, I think we will see some design changes such as encased blades, which wouldn’t be as dangerous. I also think that they will become easier to fly and that world governments will establish a strict infrastructure for flying these vehicles so that one can operate them much like a car, without getting constant clearance for certain airspace, etc. This will then lead to computer driven flying vehicles in which all one has to do is takeoff and land.