Today is the 105th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur's historic flight, the start of aviation. We have really come a long way.

I wonder if aviation is the greatest 'invention' of the 20th century? The world would certainly be a very different place if we were still travelling by sea.

I wonder if aviation is the greatest 'invention' of the 20th century? The world would certainly be a very different place if we were still travelling by sea.

 

Without aviation my home town, Seattle, would just be a small spot on the map. Thanks to Aviation and Boeing we are one the West Coast's biggest cities. I only wish the old sense of adventure and comfortable travel would come back to flying. I remember when there where no bad seats on a plane, but then I am old.

 

I remember when there where no bad seats on a plane, but then I am old.

Yes, I remember too. It used to be quite a nice way to travel....quite a 'style'.

 

It used to be quite a nice way to travel....quite a 'style'

 

It always seemed quite an adventure - even on a full overnight flight. And economy class had a lot more room. I remember when Northwest's trans-Pacific 747's only had 9 seats across instead of 10. But then I'm no spring chicken either!

Yes, I remember too. It used to be quite a nice way to travel....quite a 'style'.

I flew on a Convair 440, a while back. That is the 52 seater, piston-engine that were popular back in the 50's and 60's. The seats were roomy and comfortable, but no luggage space overhead. It was like a bus, in that it had a space for your coat and hat. Each seat had its own ashtray. That was certainly a bygone era.

 

My first flight was a 15 minute hop in a most unglamorous DC3 - and I loved every second of it.

My first flight was a 15 minute hop in a most unglamorous DC3 - and I loved every second of it.

The first time in a DC-3 was in the 80's on a short trip from Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands. I remember how odd it was walking up hill to my seat. The old "puddle jumper" was vibrating so much, they could have charged extra for the massage value.

I remember how odd it was walking up hill to my seat.

 

That's exactly what I recall. My flight was in the mid-60's - when I was a spring chicken!

That's exactly what I recall. My flight was in the mid-60's - when I was a spring chicken!

Did you need earplugs, as well. I seem to remember the roar of the engines?

 

Yea, we've come a long way. When I was 13 and 14, I flew four times away to school aboard flights that would make The Shining movie seem like a soothing new-age experience. Don't remember whether those planes were DC-10's or whatever but, to go 340 miles, the planes made 4 stops along the way. Flying those planes through thunderstorms and heavy winds scared the bejeebees out of me and the 2-3 bounce landings weren't much fun either.

Don't remember whether those planes were DC-10's

 

The DC10s wings used to flap quite wildly - much more so than other aircraft. Quite scary sometimes, especially after the DC10 was grounded for a long time after a string of ghastly crashes - Turkish Airlines outside Paris, American Airlines on take-off from Chicago, Air New Zealand into a mountain in Antarctica - and those are only the ones I remember!

I wonder if aviation is the greatest 'invention' of the 20th century? The world would certainly be a very different place if we were still travelling by sea.

Aviation would certainly be in the top three of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, in my book.

 

Aviation would certainly be in the top three of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, in my book.

 

So what would be the other two, I wonder? The computer, obviously. The silicon chip? Communication in all its forms, including the internet, radio, television and advances in the telephone? The motor car - but that was invented in the 1890's I think - so perhaps the assembly line is the more important invention of the 20th century.

 

I would like add in the discovery of human DNA and other medical advances, but they can not really be classed as "inventions".