A Century Of Flight
By Jeff Sayers
A Century Of Flight By Jeff Sayers The first manned,
powered, heavier-than-air flight took off on December 17th, 1903
at an estimated cruising altitude of 120 feet, the equivalent of
a 12-storey building. This 12 second flight would change the future
of travel and initiate the next 100 years and beyond of aviation
history. Today's flyers' biggest obstacle is boredom - a far cry
from the early days when only people with nerves of steel would
be daring enough to fly. In WW1 great strides were made in the fledging
field of aviation, however it was not until after the war that commercial
aviation became a reality.
The World's Oldest Airline
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines dates back to 1919. This makes it the world's
oldest scheduled airline with continuous service that is still operating
in the same name. In 1926 they raised the bar by introducing the
first closed-cabin commercial aircraft that America had seen which
was able to hold up to 3 passengers. Until then flights were undertaken
in open biplanes à la Snoopy and the Red Baron. Even in closed-cabin
aircrafts, passengers had to endure extremely loud and cold flights
until the invention of heaters on aircrafts which eventually led
to the luxury of allowing its passengers to shed their overcoats.
It's estimated that at least 50% of air travellers in those days
suffered from air sickness, and in-flight meal service - for those
with stomachs strong enough to eat - consisted of a thermos of tea
and a sandwich. One British airline's passengers were lucky enough
to be entertained by a |
movie on a hand-cranked projector.
"Fly with us to Havana," they wooed, "And you can breathe
in Bacardi rum four hours from now."
In the late 20s, Lindbergh
and business man Juan Trippe landed a contract to fly US mail to the
Cuban capital during the prohibition era. In the back of their mail
plane they installed a few wicker chairs and brought "tipplers" to
Havana for a tidy profit. Early commercial flights brought an all-male,
uniformed staff who served elaborate meals similar to an upscale hotel
meal. In the 1930s females were finally hired, though she would have
to be a nurse as well as single to get the job. A young female worker
would find herself out of a job once married. The 30s also brought
the invention of massive flying boats of which's purpose was mainly
to provide overseas mail service, though they were also used popularly
for island hopping with their ability to land on water. 10-50 passengers
enjoyed comfortable, spacious salons, top notch meals, and cocktail
service. Even some lucky passengers had sleeping berths and promenade
decks. As luxurious as this sounds, not everything was this perfect.
Loud engines would drone constantly as planes were not soundproofed
as they are today, and the trans-Pacific flights took 5 days. Of course,
developments in civilian air travel were put on hold during WW2 but
at the conclusion of the war in 1944, jets were here to stay, and
many former air force pilots were eager to keep to the skies. In Britian
in the 50s, journalist Vladimir Raitz got the idea that sun-starved
Brits may want to fly to Corsica - a French island in the Mediterranean
- for a holiday. |
Brits - at a time when rationing and meat was still strictly limited - jumped at the opportunity for delicious French cuisine. Accommodation was made available in tents, and the holiday package was born at a price of £32.
In the 60s and 70s, flying became more affordable than ever before, though it was still an event to get dressed up for. In 1964, a roundtrip airfare between Toronto, Canada and London, England cost $565 while the median Canadian family income was less than $6,000.
"Pretty girls for tired businesses men to look at."
Fares were strictly regulated at this time, meaning carriers travelling the exact same route had to charge the exact same price. Unable to compete over price, carriers were forced to have an image war which led to the "sex kitten" image of sexy single stewardesses wearing hot pants and high boots.
Life in the skies has surely changed since the olden days. Deregulation brought a slew of new airlines with lower and lower rates. Today's budget carriers such as JetsGo, Skyservice, and WestJet cut costs by trimming leg room and offering services such as advance seat selection and inflight beverasges and snacks at extra charge; a result of customers' demands of cheaper airfares. On the other end of the scale, you can sleep your was over to Britain from Toronto in a British Airways 1st class sleeper bed priced at $11,369 in June 2004.
It's amazing how far aviation has evolved since the Wright Brothers' history-making 12 second flight 100 years ago, and you can bet we'll some exciting advancements in flight over the next 100 years. |
