It is a Monday (April 11, 2011). It is 10:47am. I am in Plainfield, CT. I am sitting in my car. A mid-to-late 20’s guy walk’s out of the local package (liquor) store (Rob’s Wine & Spirit Shoppe) with a 12-pack of beer. Next door a middle-aged woman walks out of a fitness center (Curves). I’m sitting here eating my McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish (380 calories) and a small diet Coke. Then a 2nd Filet-O-Fish. That’s 760 calories – that more than takes care of breakfast and lunch – but they are so, so good. A woman that looks to be in her late 20’s or early 30’s goes into the Nails/Pedicure/Spa/Waxing place (Angel Nails). The song “Dream Weaver” is playing on the radio. There is a noise coming from behind me. I look in my rear-view mirror and see that it is a guy unloading supplies from a tractor trailer into McDonald’s. It is Automatic Rolls of New England (A Division of Northeast Foods), they were probably hamburger buns. I sent a text to my wonderful wife Kelly. She is truly wonderful; she is the love of my life. I am now on I-395 southbound going towards Norwich. It is a gray, cloudy day. It is misting but I have seen two vehicles with there windshield wipers going full speed.
It is a Friday morning (June 24,2011) shortly before 8am. The Target store in the Killingly Commons here in Killingly, Connecticut is about to open. I see a man doing his morning walking exercise here in the parking lot.
It is now Saturday evening (June 25, 2011) around 9pm. I have left work and I am going down a street in Yonkers, New York. There are three young girls (tweens) sitting on the curb of the sidewalk, just chatting and/or giggling.
It is now Sunday afternoon (June 26,2011). There are two (2) twenty-something women standing in there collapsible chairs here at the Air Show at the Quonset Airport here in North Kingston, Rhode Island. They are in the way when we try to look forward towards the airport tarmac and they are being just plain annoying.
Friday, September 23, 2011
On a Wing and a Prayer (Cont'd)
When my eyes were beginning to open I could see many faces looking down at me. I couldn’t make them out clearly at first. But when they came into focus I started to recognize them, they were from my own department, and from a virtual alphabet of agencies such as the TSA, FBI, FAA, and even the NTSB. They were all staring at me. Then one of them asked me if I was o.k. I said that I was. They said that the paramedics needed to look at me and bring me to the Emergency Room. I said that wasn’t necessary. I heard someone say, “He’s awake” and someone else say “Let’s get him to the hospital”. After hearing that I got up but people were saying that I shouldn’t move. I then said in a gruff and serious voice, “I am fine and I am getting up” and I did so. Then almost everybody around me realized that I was o.k. “What is going on with the investigation” I asked no one in particular. The CSI people were still on the scene. Hopefully they would be able to pull up some latent prints. At that moment my cell-phone chimed, it was a text message. It was from my ex-wife. She said some rather hurtful things which coming from her didn’t surprise me at all. That marriage of 22-years was a total waste of time. The sex wasn’t even good, when it existed at all. But I digress; I need to focus on this apparent serial killer.
Nearly on the other side of the airport a man was standing, smoking his cigarette and holding his coffee. His name was Rich Morton. He was on a break, Stanley Pearson or Stan; his Supervisor thinks he takes too many breaks. Stan was always on his case about his breaks, but Rich would reply, “Hey what about Frank, he is always on the computer, saying that he doing work related searches but was always trying to find more porn?” Stan would ignore that. Rich stopped thinking about Stan or Frank because he knew it would just put him in a bad mood. Rich looked around, he saw another employee walking over towards him. He had never seen him before. The man stopped and introduced himself as Bill. As he did so he reached out with his hand to offer a handshake. Rich offered his hand also and he did a firm handshake with Bill. He noticed Bill’s handshake was firm; Rich did not like weak handshakes. Rich also noticed that Bill’s palm and fingers were smooth and soft, not rough like very other Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic he had ever known. Or any mechanic for that matter. Rich also noticed that Bill was not wearing an ID Badge. So he said, “Are you new Bill?” Bill answered that he just started the day before. Rich told him he should have his ID Badge on or he could get into trouble with Management or Airport Security. Then Rich started thinking about what Bill said about starting yesterday. Rich was under the impression from Management here at Advance Maintenance Systems (AMS) a small FBO (Fixed Base Operator) here at the Airport that business was slow and there was a hiring freeze. Rich would make a point of asking Stan his Supervisor about this. Rich then thought he had better get back to work or at least look like he was working before he got in trouble (again). As Rich was walking back to the Cessna Citation that he had been working on he noticed Stan his Supervisor over near the wall of the hangar. Rich started walking towards him and as he did so he asked Stan in a moderately loud voice, “Hey Stan since when did we start hiring again?” Stan looked up, he saw that it was Rich asking the question his face took on that disgusted look that really pissed Rich off. Stan said “We haven’t started hiring again, what are you talking about?” Rich pointed in the direction of Bill, and said in an even louder voice “What about him?” Bill heard this, looked at Stan, then back at Rich, the he bolted out of the hangar faster than either Rich or Stan had ever seen anyone run. Rich said, “Who was that guy?” Stan said, “I don’t know”. Rich said that the man named “Bill” was wearing coveralls with the “AMS” company patch on it but he didn’t have an ID Badge. Just then, Jim Delgado, an employee that everyone knew came stumbling out of one of storage lockers wearing just a t-shirt, underwear and socks. He looked dazed and confused. He mumbled that someone had hit him over the head and that someone had also taken his coveralls. Everybody then realized that someone was obviously this “Bill” person. Rich then knew why this “Bill” didn’t have an ID Badge, he took Jim Delgado’s coveralls but not his ID Badge because he doesn’t even vaguely resemble Jim Delgado. Stan got on the phone and called Airport Security. Within minutes there were all kinds of security vehicles and police cars with sirens wailing and lights flashing on the scene. Detective Jack Donaldson was the first one out of his vehicle and he quickly approached Stanley Pearson. He then said, “Which way did the guy go?” Stan said that the guy known as “Bill” took off towards the Airport’s perimeter fence. Jack hoped that the security cameras that were mounted on those fences would provide a picture of this “Bill” person.
Nearly on the other side of the airport a man was standing, smoking his cigarette and holding his coffee. His name was Rich Morton. He was on a break, Stanley Pearson or Stan; his Supervisor thinks he takes too many breaks. Stan was always on his case about his breaks, but Rich would reply, “Hey what about Frank, he is always on the computer, saying that he doing work related searches but was always trying to find more porn?” Stan would ignore that. Rich stopped thinking about Stan or Frank because he knew it would just put him in a bad mood. Rich looked around, he saw another employee walking over towards him. He had never seen him before. The man stopped and introduced himself as Bill. As he did so he reached out with his hand to offer a handshake. Rich offered his hand also and he did a firm handshake with Bill. He noticed Bill’s handshake was firm; Rich did not like weak handshakes. Rich also noticed that Bill’s palm and fingers were smooth and soft, not rough like very other Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic he had ever known. Or any mechanic for that matter. Rich also noticed that Bill was not wearing an ID Badge. So he said, “Are you new Bill?” Bill answered that he just started the day before. Rich told him he should have his ID Badge on or he could get into trouble with Management or Airport Security. Then Rich started thinking about what Bill said about starting yesterday. Rich was under the impression from Management here at Advance Maintenance Systems (AMS) a small FBO (Fixed Base Operator) here at the Airport that business was slow and there was a hiring freeze. Rich would make a point of asking Stan his Supervisor about this. Rich then thought he had better get back to work or at least look like he was working before he got in trouble (again). As Rich was walking back to the Cessna Citation that he had been working on he noticed Stan his Supervisor over near the wall of the hangar. Rich started walking towards him and as he did so he asked Stan in a moderately loud voice, “Hey Stan since when did we start hiring again?” Stan looked up, he saw that it was Rich asking the question his face took on that disgusted look that really pissed Rich off. Stan said “We haven’t started hiring again, what are you talking about?” Rich pointed in the direction of Bill, and said in an even louder voice “What about him?” Bill heard this, looked at Stan, then back at Rich, the he bolted out of the hangar faster than either Rich or Stan had ever seen anyone run. Rich said, “Who was that guy?” Stan said, “I don’t know”. Rich said that the man named “Bill” was wearing coveralls with the “AMS” company patch on it but he didn’t have an ID Badge. Just then, Jim Delgado, an employee that everyone knew came stumbling out of one of storage lockers wearing just a t-shirt, underwear and socks. He looked dazed and confused. He mumbled that someone had hit him over the head and that someone had also taken his coveralls. Everybody then realized that someone was obviously this “Bill” person. Rich then knew why this “Bill” didn’t have an ID Badge, he took Jim Delgado’s coveralls but not his ID Badge because he doesn’t even vaguely resemble Jim Delgado. Stan got on the phone and called Airport Security. Within minutes there were all kinds of security vehicles and police cars with sirens wailing and lights flashing on the scene. Detective Jack Donaldson was the first one out of his vehicle and he quickly approached Stanley Pearson. He then said, “Which way did the guy go?” Stan said that the guy known as “Bill” took off towards the Airport’s perimeter fence. Jack hoped that the security cameras that were mounted on those fences would provide a picture of this “Bill” person.
Monday, December 13, 2010
On a Wing and a Prayer
The body was found in the cargo hold on Flight 257. The person or persons who murdered this unfortunate soul stuffed it in the cargo hold and in such a way as to suggest that the killer or killers were quite deranged. Intrigued to say the least Homicide Detective Jack Donaldson started his investigation. Would a cheater, jilted lover, or some kind of love triangle be involved? Jack was thinking along these lines because of what he was currently going through with his ex-wife. This was a medium to large airport and cordoning off the crime scene was fairly involved but it needed to be done. When Jack woke up this morning he thought the day was going to be a good one but when he got the call about this case that good feeling completely vanished. First of all the FBI was on the scene and they were trying to take over, second, his ex-wife had just sent him a text about his alimony payment, and the third and final thing was that he hadn’t had has his cup of coffee yet. The day was just going from bad to worse. The Coroner said that from his preliminary diagnosis the victim had been dead for about 36-hours because the body was starting to come out of rigor. Detective Donaldson’s Blackberry suddenly went off. A Sergeant Davis told him that he should get over to Gate 32 on Concourse ‘C’ ASAP. Jack was at Gate 24 on Concourse ‘A’ at the moment. He got into his car and turned on his flashers. When he go to Gate 32 Sergeant Davis informed him another DB or dead body was found in another cargo hold. Like he said earlier, this day was going from bad to worse. The Press was going to have a field day with this. So far the only things that were common to both of these crimes was the fact that both airplanes were Boeing 737-800’s and both dead bodies were found in the aft cargo holds. In the 17-years that Jack has been a Homicide Detective he has seen dead bodies in quite a variety of places but this was the first time he has seen one in the cargo hold of an airliner. Now he has seen two. The aft cargo hold of a Boeing 737-800 has almost 900 square feet of space in it. Who has access to it? Would they have been seen? How would the bodies have been put in them? Questions, questions, so many questions. Jack would need to get access to any and all surveillance cameras. Just then Jack received a radio call from the Airport Manager Steve Billings telling him that the press wants a statement and what should he tell them. Jack told him to wait. As Jack started turn he felt a sharp throbbing pain at the base of his neck, he instantly knew someone had hit him from behind. He went down to the ground. When he was on the ground all he could see, just barely, before he blacked out was a figure running away from him….
Just Another Day
It’s a Thursday – September 9, 2010. I look out the window. A 20-something couple is walking down the street. A man is walking his dog. The local Fire Department horn bellows because it is 12-noon. I can hear a plane off in the distance. I can also hear someone mowing there lawn off in the distance. My wife, the woman that I love dearly, is at work. The plants have been watered. The ones under the front window are blooming nicely. A cool breeze is coming through the window. Katie is studying hard at school. I wonder if she is feeling o.k. I also wonder if Ryan and Matthew are studying hard in school. Austin is probably at work. Eric and his wife Maii are in England – he is in the Air Force. The couple who live out of their van in our neighbor Bob’s backyard are burning stuff again. It doesn’t smell toxic today. My wonderful wife Kelly just sent me a text thanking me for getting her $20 and 2-packs of cigs for cards tonight. The mail-woman just picked up and dropped off the mail. Such a busy road we live on. The traffic goes by so fast! And don’t get me going about the noisy trucks and motorcycles! A farmer just drove by with his tractor and hay baler attached. Then his son went by with a tractor and a trailer to hold the hay bales. They work 7 days-a-week on their farm. A train off in the distance just blew its horn. Fred brought Miss Ab home. Miss Ab is our Chihuahua. Fred and Barbara are Miss Ab’s grandparents (and Katie’s). Katie just got home from school. She goes to New England Tech. Miss Ab was so happy to see her ‘mommy’ and Katie was so happy to see Miss Ab. Kelly works at Regency Heights and she should be home soon. The day is flowing along, meandering. I am thinking about my writing, I am thinking about my writing because I want to be a published writer and/or author. I am 50-years old so I am starting a little late in the game. Some people would say you’re too old to do this. I would disagree. This story itself will be posted to my blog and hopefully someone will read it (and the others I have posted there) and comment on it, negatively or positively. So this is just another day, a day in a small northeastern Connecticut town. Much like many towns all across America. People just doing there normal day-to-day things. There is nothing wrong with normal. Normal isn’t boring. Normal is good. Normal is peaceful. Things don’t have to be wild and crazy or abnormal. Maybe I am naïve. What is the definition of normal? My definition may be different than yours. We are born, we live our lives and pay our bills, and then we die. Yesterday was Wednesday, tomorrow is Friday. What makes today any different? It’s just another day.
Friday, October 29, 2010
You are going to go far
Human beings are always going somewhere or want to go somewhere. What is on the other side of that ridge? That mountain range? We go to the store, to the movies, to the bank, to the supermarket, to the kitchen, to bed (usually on a daily basis), to the bathroom (sometimes more than once), to the moon (we haven’t been there in a while). We are even told where to go – “Go west young man!”, or “You can go to hell!” First, humans walked/hiked/trekked to explore. Then humans rode animals, and then they had carts or wagons, and then boats. We went up and down rivers, across ponds, lakes, seas, oceans. Then we wanted to copy the birds and fly, or was it more than that? To slip those surly bonds of earth as it were. Do we want and need to conquer our surroundings? our world? To show that we are the masters? We always want to get somewhere quicker or faster. When the Mayflower came across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620 it took 65-days to do it. In 1927 when Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean it took 33-1/2-hours. In 1996 a Concorde Supersonic Airliner flew across the Atlantic Ocean in under 3-hours. In 1974 (22-years earlier) a U.S. Air Force ‘spy’ plane flew across the Atlantic Ocean in under 2-hours. It used to take days, weeks, or even months for a letter to reach someone via snail mail (do people even write letters anymore?). Now with the click of a button we can send an e-mail or a tweet to anyone anywhere on or off the earth instantly. The world is shrinking. Aviation and Technology are rapidly advancing.
Speaking of aviation, I love aviation! That is an understatement! Aviation is more that just people, aircraft, technology, or history. Imagine the joy, admiration and/or fascination a young child has when they see an airplane up in the sky for the first time.
And what about Rotorcraft or Helicopters? They have been used throughout aviations short history. First to save peoples lives, then later on to be used as a weapon in war. It has also been used to save peoples lives in war.
People talk about the spinoffs from NASA, well what about the spinoffs from aviation? Have we gone far or have we advanced from the technologies derived from aviation? Yes we have. Automobiles for instance are more aerodynamic. Speaking of automobiles, here is a little side note, the SAAB automobile comes from a company that started out by making airplanes. The name SAAB means “Svenska Aeroplan AB”. “AB” is the rough equivalent of company, so SAAB literally means Swedish Airplane Company. There have been may more spinoffs from aviation, in the areas of metallurgy, composite materials, and electronics. Anti-lock brakes were first developed for aircraft back in 1929.
So, are we going to go far? Yes. We have gone far from that famous first flight on December 17, 1903 and we will keep going far.
Speaking of aviation, I love aviation! That is an understatement! Aviation is more that just people, aircraft, technology, or history. Imagine the joy, admiration and/or fascination a young child has when they see an airplane up in the sky for the first time.
And what about Rotorcraft or Helicopters? They have been used throughout aviations short history. First to save peoples lives, then later on to be used as a weapon in war. It has also been used to save peoples lives in war.
People talk about the spinoffs from NASA, well what about the spinoffs from aviation? Have we gone far or have we advanced from the technologies derived from aviation? Yes we have. Automobiles for instance are more aerodynamic. Speaking of automobiles, here is a little side note, the SAAB automobile comes from a company that started out by making airplanes. The name SAAB means “Svenska Aeroplan AB”. “AB” is the rough equivalent of company, so SAAB literally means Swedish Airplane Company. There have been may more spinoffs from aviation, in the areas of metallurgy, composite materials, and electronics. Anti-lock brakes were first developed for aircraft back in 1929.
So, are we going to go far? Yes. We have gone far from that famous first flight on December 17, 1903 and we will keep going far.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Collaborations
Webster’s defines collaboration as: “to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor”. Think of some great collaborations, Lennon and McCartney in music, Abbott and Costello in comedy. Husbands and Wives collaborate also. Sports teams couldn’t win without teamwork and collaborating with each other. Would Apple Computer be where they without Steve Jobs collaborating with someone? (another Steve, Steve Wozniak for instance). What about Microsoft? Did Bill Gates do it all by himself? Charities and grass-roots movements would not exist without collaboration. Curing diseases and inventing new technologies would not happen without collaboration. But I digress. In the relatively short history of aviation collaboration has played an integral part. Take the Wright Brothers for instance. The collaboration they had was phenomenal and has been written about extensively.
Charles Lindbergh was called the “Lone Eagle” but he did not make his historic flight in a vacuum. The “Spirit of St. Louis” airplane that he made his historic flight in was called the “Spirit of St. Louis” and it was designed by Donald Hall at Ryan Airlines and built by all of the hard work of the engineers and workers there. The engine that powered his airplane was the Wright J-5C “Whirlwind” from the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and the following were some of the people involved in creating it:
Charlie Lawrance – President (and one of the men who developed the Whirlwind engine)
Kenneth M. Lane – Chief Airplane Engineer
Richard “Dick” Blythe
Edward “Ed” Mulligan
Kenneth Boedecker
Thomas Kincaid
Not only that, but Charles Lindbergh had an organization of backers supporting his endeavor and it was called “The Spirit of St. Louis Organization”. Some of it’s members were as follows:
Harold M. Bixby
Harry H. Knight (and his father Harry F. Knight)
Major Albert Bond “Doc” Lambert
J.D. Wooster Lambert (Docs brother)
E. Lansing Ray – He ran/published the St. Louis Globe-Democrat Newspaper
Frank Robinson
William “Bill” Robinson
Earl C. Thompson
Would Neil Armstrong have been able to step off that ladder onto the moon and utter his most famous words without the collaboration of thousands of people? – Scientists, Engineers, and an untold number of workers who are just as much the heroes as Neil was. What about Jack Northrop, Bill Boeing, Chance Vought, Igor Sikorsky, Bill Piper, Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech (and his wife Olive), Clarence “Kelly” Johnson (and his Skunk Works Team at Lockheed), Donald Douglas, Glenn Martin, Leroy Grumman, Larry Bell, Glenn Curtiss, and many, many others. They didn’t all do it alone, they collaborated. With each other, with the military, with the government, with academia. Things get done when people collaborate.
Some collaborations are not always good or legal. When Julius Rosenberg (yes, that Rosenberg) and others in a spy ring gave the technology for an aircraft tracking radar (SCR-584), it’s analog computer gun director (M-9) and proximity fuse to Soviet Spy Alexandr Feklisov it gave the Russians the ability to track and destroy our fighter aircraft. The spy plane that Francis Gary Powers was flying on May 1, 1960 was tracked and shot down that way. William Perl (real name Mutterperl) who worked for the NACA (the predecessor of NASA) also gave advanced aeronautical data to Alexandr Feklisov which allowed the Russians to develop the unique tail-fin design used on the MiG-15 jet fighter. This plane was flown against American pilots during the Korean War. Aviation has had many, many collaborations, mostly for good, some not so good. But collaborations will continue.
Charles Lindbergh was called the “Lone Eagle” but he did not make his historic flight in a vacuum. The “Spirit of St. Louis” airplane that he made his historic flight in was called the “Spirit of St. Louis” and it was designed by Donald Hall at Ryan Airlines and built by all of the hard work of the engineers and workers there. The engine that powered his airplane was the Wright J-5C “Whirlwind” from the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and the following were some of the people involved in creating it:
Charlie Lawrance – President (and one of the men who developed the Whirlwind engine)
Kenneth M. Lane – Chief Airplane Engineer
Richard “Dick” Blythe
Edward “Ed” Mulligan
Kenneth Boedecker
Thomas Kincaid
Not only that, but Charles Lindbergh had an organization of backers supporting his endeavor and it was called “The Spirit of St. Louis Organization”. Some of it’s members were as follows:
Harold M. Bixby
Harry H. Knight (and his father Harry F. Knight)
Major Albert Bond “Doc” Lambert
J.D. Wooster Lambert (Docs brother)
E. Lansing Ray – He ran/published the St. Louis Globe-Democrat Newspaper
Frank Robinson
William “Bill” Robinson
Earl C. Thompson
Would Neil Armstrong have been able to step off that ladder onto the moon and utter his most famous words without the collaboration of thousands of people? – Scientists, Engineers, and an untold number of workers who are just as much the heroes as Neil was. What about Jack Northrop, Bill Boeing, Chance Vought, Igor Sikorsky, Bill Piper, Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech (and his wife Olive), Clarence “Kelly” Johnson (and his Skunk Works Team at Lockheed), Donald Douglas, Glenn Martin, Leroy Grumman, Larry Bell, Glenn Curtiss, and many, many others. They didn’t all do it alone, they collaborated. With each other, with the military, with the government, with academia. Things get done when people collaborate.
Some collaborations are not always good or legal. When Julius Rosenberg (yes, that Rosenberg) and others in a spy ring gave the technology for an aircraft tracking radar (SCR-584), it’s analog computer gun director (M-9) and proximity fuse to Soviet Spy Alexandr Feklisov it gave the Russians the ability to track and destroy our fighter aircraft. The spy plane that Francis Gary Powers was flying on May 1, 1960 was tracked and shot down that way. William Perl (real name Mutterperl) who worked for the NACA (the predecessor of NASA) also gave advanced aeronautical data to Alexandr Feklisov which allowed the Russians to develop the unique tail-fin design used on the MiG-15 jet fighter. This plane was flown against American pilots during the Korean War. Aviation has had many, many collaborations, mostly for good, some not so good. But collaborations will continue.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The New England Air Museum
My wife and I recently returned from a trip to upstate New York and on our way home we stopped at the New England Air Museum. It is a gem of a museum nestled in the tranquil woodlands next to the Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Back in 1969 it was called the Bradley Air Museum, but on October 3, 1979 the museum was struck by a tornado and almost completely destroyed. The museum closed and was reopened in 1981. It was in 1984 that it became the New England Air Museum (NEAM). It is owned and operated by the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association.
The museum houses a diverse assortment of aircraft in its collection, both inside and on the grounds outside. They have both a military and civilian aircraft sections with over 125 aircraft on display. The centerpiece of the museum is the Boeing B-29 bomber ‘Jack Hack’. In addition to ‘Jack Hack’, they also have a Lockheed Electra which is similar to the one flown by Amelia Earhart in her attempt to fly around the world. Among the aircraft on the outside grounds is the Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster. Its fuselage, when seen from the side was in the shape of a wing and is one of the last one known to exist. It is anticipated that the museum will restore it at some point in time. The B-29 was also restored by the museum in their restoration hangar.
On Sundays, the museum has what they call ‘Open Cockpit Sunday’ in which patrons are allowed to actually climb into the cockpits of a variety of aircraft. This is one of the museum’s most popular events. Other events include lectures and presentations given buy people in the aviation business. Numerous educational workshops and fun activities are also scheduled throughout the year. Interactive and static displays are placed throughout the museum along with many historical artifacts. Connecticut based aviation companies such as Sikorsky, Kaman, Vought, Hamilton Standard, and Pratt & Whitney are highlighted with aircraft (fixed-wing and rotary), engines, and other various equipment. They also feature WWI and lighter-than-air craft era.
Functions such as conferences, dinners, school field trips, and birthday parties can be held at the museum. Memberships with discounted admissions and gift shop discounts are available for purchase on site, by mail, or though the internet. The gift shop also has an array of clothing, books, airplane models, games, and various other aviation themed novelties available. There is also a small dining area and free parking. They are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Please note that if you visit in the summer months the hangar sections are not air conditioned. You can visit their website at: www.neam.org
The museum houses a diverse assortment of aircraft in its collection, both inside and on the grounds outside. They have both a military and civilian aircraft sections with over 125 aircraft on display. The centerpiece of the museum is the Boeing B-29 bomber ‘Jack Hack’. In addition to ‘Jack Hack’, they also have a Lockheed Electra which is similar to the one flown by Amelia Earhart in her attempt to fly around the world. Among the aircraft on the outside grounds is the Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster. Its fuselage, when seen from the side was in the shape of a wing and is one of the last one known to exist. It is anticipated that the museum will restore it at some point in time. The B-29 was also restored by the museum in their restoration hangar.
On Sundays, the museum has what they call ‘Open Cockpit Sunday’ in which patrons are allowed to actually climb into the cockpits of a variety of aircraft. This is one of the museum’s most popular events. Other events include lectures and presentations given buy people in the aviation business. Numerous educational workshops and fun activities are also scheduled throughout the year. Interactive and static displays are placed throughout the museum along with many historical artifacts. Connecticut based aviation companies such as Sikorsky, Kaman, Vought, Hamilton Standard, and Pratt & Whitney are highlighted with aircraft (fixed-wing and rotary), engines, and other various equipment. They also feature WWI and lighter-than-air craft era.
Functions such as conferences, dinners, school field trips, and birthday parties can be held at the museum. Memberships with discounted admissions and gift shop discounts are available for purchase on site, by mail, or though the internet. The gift shop also has an array of clothing, books, airplane models, games, and various other aviation themed novelties available. There is also a small dining area and free parking. They are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Please note that if you visit in the summer months the hangar sections are not air conditioned. You can visit their website at: www.neam.org
Friday, June 4, 2010
Famous Firsts
Throughout aviation history there were famous people. The fame that they achieved was earned. There were also people that were behind the scenes. The ones that were behind the scenes were the unsung heroes. Technology with regards to aviation and aerospace has advanced at a rapid pace. The following are some examples of famous firsts.
The Wright Brothers were the first to fly a heavier-than-air airplane but they didn’t do it alone. Without the Weather Service they wouldn’t have known the location in the United States that had constant moderate to heavy winds so they could test there gliders. They corresponded with others such as Octave Chanute. Without the help of Charlie Taylor, there mechanician they wouldn’t have had an engine to power their airplane. The Wright Brothers didn’t attend an Aeronautical University because one did not exist. They built there own wind tunnel and they designed and made there own propellers. NASA tested them and they were found to be 80% efficient (today’s are only 85%). The Wright Brothers had been told that they were crazy and that man was not meant to fly but they both persisted. They did not give up.
Charles Lindbergh deserves all the fame and accolades that were bestowed upon him when he made his solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean at the age of 25. But he didn’t do it alone either. He had financial backers to fund his flight. Also, without the designers, engineers, and craftsman the airplane he flew wouldn’t exist. There were many detractors and naysayers. But he was a persistent man. He was told that he needed a multi-engine plane and he said that wasn’t necessary
Chuck Yeager was the first man to break the sound barrier. He was 24-years old at the time. He would not have been able to do so without the people from NACA (the precursor to NASA), or the U.S. Air Force. The Bell X-1 which he flew wouldn’t exist without the designers, engineers, craftsman, and technicians at Bell Aircraft. Hundreds of people were behind his endeavor. The aircraft was shaped like a .50 caliber bullet and was built exceptionally strong. People at the time were saying that the sound barrier was a physical barrier that could not be broken, and even if it was it would lead to the destruction of the aircraft and fatality for the pilot.
Neil Armstrong was the first man to step onto the moon. Without thousands and thousands of people in NASA (scientists and engineers) and all of the contractors and sub-contractors that built all of the hardware (Saturn V rocket, Lunar Module, Command Module, etc., etc.) he would not have been able to make that most famous of steps. We also cannot forget the Mercury Program with the famous original seven astronauts. Then there was the Gemini Program that had two astronauts in a capsule. Then the Apollo Program with three astronauts on each flight. Even with the horrific fatal fire in 1967 of Apollo 1 on the launch pad with the loss of the three astronauts (Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee) the program went forward.
The events that these individuals were involved in that changed aviation history and world history came down to the following famous dates:
Thursday December 17, 1903 at 10:35am for the Wright Brothers.
Saturday and Sunday May 20-21, 1927 for Charles Lindbergh.
Tuesday October 14, 1947 for Chuck Yeager.
Sunday July 20, 1969 at 10:56:15pm EDT for Neil Armstrong.
After each of the above pivotal events in aviation and space there were many, many technological advances and discoveries. After the Wright Brothers made there famous flight in 1903 many other aviation inventors and pioneers from around the world created, discovered and made great strides in aviation. By the way, the speed of the Wright Flyer on that historic flight was 6.8 miles per hour. The same goes for innovations and technological breakthroughs during and after World War I. After Charles Lindbergh made his solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 in 33-1/2 hours, time and distance became shorter and shorter and the world started to become a much smaller place. During and after World War II more and more technological achievements were made. After the sound barrier was broken in 1947 faster and faster aircraft (military and civilian) were created.
And here are two examples of that:
On September 1, 1974 a U.S. Air Force SR-71 “Blackbird” spy plane flew from New York to London in 1-hour, 54-minutes, 56.4-seconds.
On February 7, 1996 a supersonic transport (SST) called Concorde and flown by the British Airways airline, crossed the Atlantic Ocean from London to New York in the record time of 2-hours, 52-minutes, 59-seconds.
And the technology spinoffs from the space program are almost too many to count. The drive to discover, create, innovate and succeed is awe inspiring. These famous firsts will not be forgotten and I am sure there will be many more famous firsts to come in aviation and aerospace.
The Wright Brothers were the first to fly a heavier-than-air airplane but they didn’t do it alone. Without the Weather Service they wouldn’t have known the location in the United States that had constant moderate to heavy winds so they could test there gliders. They corresponded with others such as Octave Chanute. Without the help of Charlie Taylor, there mechanician they wouldn’t have had an engine to power their airplane. The Wright Brothers didn’t attend an Aeronautical University because one did not exist. They built there own wind tunnel and they designed and made there own propellers. NASA tested them and they were found to be 80% efficient (today’s are only 85%). The Wright Brothers had been told that they were crazy and that man was not meant to fly but they both persisted. They did not give up.
Charles Lindbergh deserves all the fame and accolades that were bestowed upon him when he made his solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean at the age of 25. But he didn’t do it alone either. He had financial backers to fund his flight. Also, without the designers, engineers, and craftsman the airplane he flew wouldn’t exist. There were many detractors and naysayers. But he was a persistent man. He was told that he needed a multi-engine plane and he said that wasn’t necessary
Chuck Yeager was the first man to break the sound barrier. He was 24-years old at the time. He would not have been able to do so without the people from NACA (the precursor to NASA), or the U.S. Air Force. The Bell X-1 which he flew wouldn’t exist without the designers, engineers, craftsman, and technicians at Bell Aircraft. Hundreds of people were behind his endeavor. The aircraft was shaped like a .50 caliber bullet and was built exceptionally strong. People at the time were saying that the sound barrier was a physical barrier that could not be broken, and even if it was it would lead to the destruction of the aircraft and fatality for the pilot.
Neil Armstrong was the first man to step onto the moon. Without thousands and thousands of people in NASA (scientists and engineers) and all of the contractors and sub-contractors that built all of the hardware (Saturn V rocket, Lunar Module, Command Module, etc., etc.) he would not have been able to make that most famous of steps. We also cannot forget the Mercury Program with the famous original seven astronauts. Then there was the Gemini Program that had two astronauts in a capsule. Then the Apollo Program with three astronauts on each flight. Even with the horrific fatal fire in 1967 of Apollo 1 on the launch pad with the loss of the three astronauts (Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee) the program went forward.
The events that these individuals were involved in that changed aviation history and world history came down to the following famous dates:
Thursday December 17, 1903 at 10:35am for the Wright Brothers.
Saturday and Sunday May 20-21, 1927 for Charles Lindbergh.
Tuesday October 14, 1947 for Chuck Yeager.
Sunday July 20, 1969 at 10:56:15pm EDT for Neil Armstrong.
After each of the above pivotal events in aviation and space there were many, many technological advances and discoveries. After the Wright Brothers made there famous flight in 1903 many other aviation inventors and pioneers from around the world created, discovered and made great strides in aviation. By the way, the speed of the Wright Flyer on that historic flight was 6.8 miles per hour. The same goes for innovations and technological breakthroughs during and after World War I. After Charles Lindbergh made his solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 in 33-1/2 hours, time and distance became shorter and shorter and the world started to become a much smaller place. During and after World War II more and more technological achievements were made. After the sound barrier was broken in 1947 faster and faster aircraft (military and civilian) were created.
And here are two examples of that:
On September 1, 1974 a U.S. Air Force SR-71 “Blackbird” spy plane flew from New York to London in 1-hour, 54-minutes, 56.4-seconds.
On February 7, 1996 a supersonic transport (SST) called Concorde and flown by the British Airways airline, crossed the Atlantic Ocean from London to New York in the record time of 2-hours, 52-minutes, 59-seconds.
And the technology spinoffs from the space program are almost too many to count. The drive to discover, create, innovate and succeed is awe inspiring. These famous firsts will not be forgotten and I am sure there will be many more famous firsts to come in aviation and aerospace.
Monday, October 26, 2009
A Fighter Pilot's Life (Fiction)
He was just a boy of 10. It was 1933. He was sitting on a stone wall looking out at the wheat field of his family farm. All he knew up to this point in his life was living and working on the farm and he didn’t have a problem with that. His name was Tom. His full name was Thomas B. Fuller. The “B” stood for Bennett, his mother’s maiden name. Nobody called him Thomas except his mother and that was only when she wanted his attention or when he was in some kind of trouble, which wasn’t very often. He wasn’t called Tommy either, just Tom. Tom realized the country was in the depths of a depression but his family was getting by. The Fuller Family had lived on and ran this farm in Nebraska for over 80 years. Even though they would have been considered poor Tom didn’t think so. He had a family that loved him, had a roof over his head and clothes on his back. Since he lived on a farm, they had wheat, vegetables, cows, pigs, and chickens so he never wanted for food.
On that day sitting on the stone wall Tom heard a sound overhead, looked up and saw an airplane. He had never seen one before. He had heard about airplanes from Pete Smith when he went to town. Pete was known as ‘Ole Pete’ but Tom didn’t know why because Pete didn’t seem that old. Pete had served as a Fighter Pilot in WWI, but didn’t like to talk about the war. When Tom would ask Pete what it was like to fly an airplane Pete’s eyes would light up. Pete would describe the joy and exhilaration of flying, and what is was like to be free from the bonds of earth. When Tom saw that airplane flying through the sky he started to run, following it, waving his arms wildly. The pilot dipped his wings acknowledging Tom. At that moment Tom vowed that someday he would be a pilot.
Tom’s schooling was uneventful; his math skills could have been a little stronger. He was also a little on the shy side, not a social butterfly, but he was friendly. When he graduated from high school in 1941 he knew that his family didn’t have the money to send him to college but that didn’t matter to Tom. Then on that fateful day, in December when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the whole world and Tom’s life changed. The next day Tom went to town and signed up for the Army. After his basic training Tom was sent to San Antonio, Texas to start his training in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The training wasn’t easy. But his instructor told him he was one of the best stick-and-rudder men he had ever seen. Tom was sent to Europe. He flew the P-51 Mustang. It was a fast, stunningly beautiful airplane and he loved flying it. Even though flying provided Tom with much happiness the job he was assigned to do would not be considered a happy one. He was fully aware that Nazi Germany was evil and the allies were fighting on the side of good. He would escort bombers, because the P-51 fighters were known as ‘little friends’. He would shoot at German Fighters to protect the bombers. With the four 50 caliber machine guns, the enemy’s airplanes would sustain very heavy damage. Tom was also tasked with strafing ground positions such as troop trains, aircraft hangars, trucks, tanks, and columns of enemy troops. When they say war is hell, it is true.
After the war Tom went back to the family farm. It was now 1948, Tom was 25, and he decided he would take advantage of the G.I. Bill and go to college. He liked History and decided to major in that. In a very short time history was to take a big part in Tom’s life again. The Korean Conflict started in 1950. Since Tom was a WWII Veteran and had already flown in combat he again found himself in an airplane, this time as an F-86 Sabre pilot. The U.S. Army Air Corps was now the United States Air Force. He flew over the Yalu River in Northwestern North Korea in an area known as MiG Alley. The ‘dogfights’ were a big part of being an F-86 Sabre fighter pilot. He would also strafe ground targets and provide Close Air Support. The war was over in 1953 and Tom went home. He had made a promise to himself that he would finish his college education and get a teaching degree in History. Tom found a job working at the hardware store in town and the owner let him live in the small apartment upstairs. Now he was settled down at home during peacetime with a job and attending college. After completing college he got a history teaching position at a local community college. So instead of participating in history as he had in WWII and the Korean Conflict he was teaching it to young people. That is where Tom met the most beautiful woman in the world – her name was Mary. Mary Ellen Palmer to be exact. They met on a cool autumn day in October of 1955 and they started dating. Before long they had a full-time relationship. They were very much in love. A couple of years went by and Tom and Mary decided to get married. They planned on getting married in 1958 on the 12th of June. Tom was 34 now and Mary was 33. They weren’t a rich couple and didn’t have a lot of material things but they were happy. It was now the 1960’s and it seemed that anything was possible. The country had a young president and human beings were beginning to explore space. Tom and Mary were now thinking of having children as Mary was now 36. They had a 5-1/2 pound baby boy on May 12th 1961 and his name was Charles Daniel Fuller. They called him Charlie.
As the years went buy Charlie grew older and Tom and Mary’s marriage kept growing stronger. It was now 1969 and Tom had become a Professor of History at the University and he was working on writing a book. The year 1969 was a year of wonder with man landing on the moon and it also was a year of trouble and strife with the war in Vietnam and the protests at home. In 1973 Tom turned 50 and his book “Homeward Journey” was published. It was a story about war veterans coming home. Tom himself had close friends from two wars that did not make it home. Tom and Mary now had a little more disposable income and decided to take a vacation to Tahiti. It was now 1978 and they had been married for 20-years so they felt they deserved the vacation. The next year, 1979, when Charlie turned 18, he joined the Air Force. He applied to Officers Candidate School (OCS) and was accepted. After he became a 2nd Lieutenant he applied for Flight School. It wasn’t easy getting accepted even with his father’s service. But he eventually got accepted. The Flight School took a little over a year and it was hard work. Tom was so proud of him when he received his pilot’s wings. Charlie learned how to fly an F-15 Eagle and was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Then in August of 1990 he was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield. Tom thought that things had now come full circle.
On that day sitting on the stone wall Tom heard a sound overhead, looked up and saw an airplane. He had never seen one before. He had heard about airplanes from Pete Smith when he went to town. Pete was known as ‘Ole Pete’ but Tom didn’t know why because Pete didn’t seem that old. Pete had served as a Fighter Pilot in WWI, but didn’t like to talk about the war. When Tom would ask Pete what it was like to fly an airplane Pete’s eyes would light up. Pete would describe the joy and exhilaration of flying, and what is was like to be free from the bonds of earth. When Tom saw that airplane flying through the sky he started to run, following it, waving his arms wildly. The pilot dipped his wings acknowledging Tom. At that moment Tom vowed that someday he would be a pilot.
Tom’s schooling was uneventful; his math skills could have been a little stronger. He was also a little on the shy side, not a social butterfly, but he was friendly. When he graduated from high school in 1941 he knew that his family didn’t have the money to send him to college but that didn’t matter to Tom. Then on that fateful day, in December when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the whole world and Tom’s life changed. The next day Tom went to town and signed up for the Army. After his basic training Tom was sent to San Antonio, Texas to start his training in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The training wasn’t easy. But his instructor told him he was one of the best stick-and-rudder men he had ever seen. Tom was sent to Europe. He flew the P-51 Mustang. It was a fast, stunningly beautiful airplane and he loved flying it. Even though flying provided Tom with much happiness the job he was assigned to do would not be considered a happy one. He was fully aware that Nazi Germany was evil and the allies were fighting on the side of good. He would escort bombers, because the P-51 fighters were known as ‘little friends’. He would shoot at German Fighters to protect the bombers. With the four 50 caliber machine guns, the enemy’s airplanes would sustain very heavy damage. Tom was also tasked with strafing ground positions such as troop trains, aircraft hangars, trucks, tanks, and columns of enemy troops. When they say war is hell, it is true.
After the war Tom went back to the family farm. It was now 1948, Tom was 25, and he decided he would take advantage of the G.I. Bill and go to college. He liked History and decided to major in that. In a very short time history was to take a big part in Tom’s life again. The Korean Conflict started in 1950. Since Tom was a WWII Veteran and had already flown in combat he again found himself in an airplane, this time as an F-86 Sabre pilot. The U.S. Army Air Corps was now the United States Air Force. He flew over the Yalu River in Northwestern North Korea in an area known as MiG Alley. The ‘dogfights’ were a big part of being an F-86 Sabre fighter pilot. He would also strafe ground targets and provide Close Air Support. The war was over in 1953 and Tom went home. He had made a promise to himself that he would finish his college education and get a teaching degree in History. Tom found a job working at the hardware store in town and the owner let him live in the small apartment upstairs. Now he was settled down at home during peacetime with a job and attending college. After completing college he got a history teaching position at a local community college. So instead of participating in history as he had in WWII and the Korean Conflict he was teaching it to young people. That is where Tom met the most beautiful woman in the world – her name was Mary. Mary Ellen Palmer to be exact. They met on a cool autumn day in October of 1955 and they started dating. Before long they had a full-time relationship. They were very much in love. A couple of years went by and Tom and Mary decided to get married. They planned on getting married in 1958 on the 12th of June. Tom was 34 now and Mary was 33. They weren’t a rich couple and didn’t have a lot of material things but they were happy. It was now the 1960’s and it seemed that anything was possible. The country had a young president and human beings were beginning to explore space. Tom and Mary were now thinking of having children as Mary was now 36. They had a 5-1/2 pound baby boy on May 12th 1961 and his name was Charles Daniel Fuller. They called him Charlie.
As the years went buy Charlie grew older and Tom and Mary’s marriage kept growing stronger. It was now 1969 and Tom had become a Professor of History at the University and he was working on writing a book. The year 1969 was a year of wonder with man landing on the moon and it also was a year of trouble and strife with the war in Vietnam and the protests at home. In 1973 Tom turned 50 and his book “Homeward Journey” was published. It was a story about war veterans coming home. Tom himself had close friends from two wars that did not make it home. Tom and Mary now had a little more disposable income and decided to take a vacation to Tahiti. It was now 1978 and they had been married for 20-years so they felt they deserved the vacation. The next year, 1979, when Charlie turned 18, he joined the Air Force. He applied to Officers Candidate School (OCS) and was accepted. After he became a 2nd Lieutenant he applied for Flight School. It wasn’t easy getting accepted even with his father’s service. But he eventually got accepted. The Flight School took a little over a year and it was hard work. Tom was so proud of him when he received his pilot’s wings. Charlie learned how to fly an F-15 Eagle and was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Then in August of 1990 he was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield. Tom thought that things had now come full circle.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Aviation
Man’s dream to be free as a bird in the sky has been around for quite some time. Ever since the myth of Icarus and Daedalus in which they flew away from the island of Crete with feathered wings held together with wax. The pioneers of aviation were thought to be a little crazy or “crackpots”. The Wright Brother’s were persistent and they toiled until they perfected a heavier-than-air, controllable flying machine. The great aviation hero and pioneer Charles Lindbergh promoted aviation and air travel in his early life. The air routes that airlines use today are a direct result of his work.
The technology of what an airplane is made of has gone from the days of wood, cloth and wires to high-tech composites for the wings, body and tail assemblies to exotic metals for the jet engines. To give an idea of how far aviation has progressed, the top speed of the Wright Flyer in 1903 was 10mph. The top speed of the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” spy plane was well over 2,200mph. This is in a time span of less than 80 years.
There are also many unsung heroes in aviation. They are many and varied such as airline ticket clerks, baggage handlers and the people you never see such as the Air Traffic Controller in the Tower. They are the technicians and mechanics that maintain and repair aircraft. They are the skilled workers that manufacture aircraft and engines and all of the various assemblies and components they are comprised of.
Aviation has many facets such as military aviation, commercial aviation, general aviation, sport aviation, and rotary aviation.
Military aviation has had explosive growth (no pun intended).In military aviation the armed forces have used aircraft in many conflicts, such as (and this is not a complete list): Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf Wars (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm), Bosnian War, Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom), and the Afghanistan War (Operation Enduring Freedom).
In civil or commercial aviation airlines have gone from aircraft that had luxurious accommodations such as sleeping berths (similar to trains) in the late 1930’s to an airplane today called the Airbus A380 that can hold a maximum of 853 people in an economy class configuration.
In general aviation we have gone from airplanes with cloth covered wings to small jets with wings made out of composite materials. And from open cockpit aircraft to cockpits with color radar displays for weather and GPS navigation equipment.
Air Racing and participating in Air Shows are just two of things that comprise sport aviation.
Aviation has made the world smaller and the technology spin-offs from aviation are many and varied. Automobiles are more aerodynamic and fuel efficient due to the research done in aviation.
Aviation is amazing in my humble opinion.
The technology of what an airplane is made of has gone from the days of wood, cloth and wires to high-tech composites for the wings, body and tail assemblies to exotic metals for the jet engines. To give an idea of how far aviation has progressed, the top speed of the Wright Flyer in 1903 was 10mph. The top speed of the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” spy plane was well over 2,200mph. This is in a time span of less than 80 years.
There are also many unsung heroes in aviation. They are many and varied such as airline ticket clerks, baggage handlers and the people you never see such as the Air Traffic Controller in the Tower. They are the technicians and mechanics that maintain and repair aircraft. They are the skilled workers that manufacture aircraft and engines and all of the various assemblies and components they are comprised of.
Aviation has many facets such as military aviation, commercial aviation, general aviation, sport aviation, and rotary aviation.
Military aviation has had explosive growth (no pun intended).In military aviation the armed forces have used aircraft in many conflicts, such as (and this is not a complete list): Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf Wars (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm), Bosnian War, Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom), and the Afghanistan War (Operation Enduring Freedom).
In civil or commercial aviation airlines have gone from aircraft that had luxurious accommodations such as sleeping berths (similar to trains) in the late 1930’s to an airplane today called the Airbus A380 that can hold a maximum of 853 people in an economy class configuration.
In general aviation we have gone from airplanes with cloth covered wings to small jets with wings made out of composite materials. And from open cockpit aircraft to cockpits with color radar displays for weather and GPS navigation equipment.
Air Racing and participating in Air Shows are just two of things that comprise sport aviation.
Aviation has made the world smaller and the technology spin-offs from aviation are many and varied. Automobiles are more aerodynamic and fuel efficient due to the research done in aviation.
Aviation is amazing in my humble opinion.
Women in Aviation
I was thinking recently about women in aviation. Have they broken the so-called glass ceiling? Should I say "so-called"? Because it does exist, doesn't it? There are women pilot's who fly for airlines. The military has female pilot's. NASA has Shuttle Commander's that are female. Should I be saying women? or should I be saying female? Which is preferable or better or correct? Is this a sensitive or sore subject? Please let me know your thought's or feeling's (male or female) on this subject (for or against - positive or negative).
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft manufactures aircraft engines. On their famous logo with the Eagle it says: “Dependable Engines”. In later years the company had the following slogan: “The Eagle means Business”. They have been manufacturing engines (piston and jet) since 1925. The man who started it was Frederick Brant Rentschler. And you thought the company was started by two people named Pratt and Whitney!
Well the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft story is a fairly long and convoluted one. Rentschler founded Wright Aeronautical. Wright Aeronautical was previously Wright-Martin. Wright-Martin was a merger of the Glenn L. Martin Company and the Wright Company which occurred in 1916. Wright Company was created by Orville and Wilbur Wright. Glenn Martin resigned from Wright-Martin in 1917. The company was renamed Wright Aeronautical in 1919. The Wright “Whirlwind” engine was used on the plane that the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh flew solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean on May 21, 1927. Then in 1924 Rentschler left Wright Aeronautical with some engineers after a dispute regarding funding for an air-cooled engine which the government requested development of. So Rentschler headed to Connecticut to Pratt & Whitney which at the time was called the “Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool Company”. It was founded in 1860 by Francis A. Pratt and Amos Whitney (a cousin of Eli Whitney). They were located in Hartford, Connecticut. Pratt & Whitney provided funds, building facilities, and even their name. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft was incorporated in 1925.
The following is but a short list of well-known aircraft that have had Pratt & Whitney engines installed on them:
B-52 Stratofortress (1952) - the J57
Boeing 707 (1958) - the JT3
SR-71 Blackbird (1964) - the J58
Boeing 747 (1966) - the JT9D
F-15 Eagle (1970) - the F100
Boeing 727 (1980) - the JT8D
Boeing 747 (1987) - the PW4000
Boeing 777 (1989) - the PW4084
F/A-22 Raptor (1991) - the F119
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft manufactured 363,610 piston aircraft engines during World War II which was nearly half of all the engines produced.
Charles Lindbergh was once employed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft The desk he used can be seen at the Pratt & Whitney Museum in Hartford, CT. Connecticut’s economy relies in large part on the Defense Industry and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft is the states largest private employer.
Over the years Pratt & Whitney Aircraft has made engines that have been installed in a large variety of civil and military aircraft. They have also made engines (both piston and jet) that have been used to generate electrical power on the ground. There power plants have been installed in U.S. Navy ships. They even in had small helicopter turbine engines installed on Indy and Formula One racing cars. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft also has a division in Canada that was founded in 1928. It makes turboprop engines for small aircraft.
In 1929 Rentschler incorporated the company called: “United Aircraft and Transport Company”. The creation of United Airlines came about from this company. United Aircraft and Transport Company then became United Aircraft Corporation which was comprised of the following four companies: Pratt & Whitney, Vought Aircraft (from Chance Vought – another aviation legend – but this company left in 1954), Sikorsky Aircraft (from famed helicopter inventor Igor Sikorsky), and Hamilton-Standard which makes propellers. Then in 1975 United Aircraft Corporation became the United Technologies Corporation which we know today. United Technologies Corporation or UTC also has Carrier (air conditioning and refrigeration) and Otis (elevators) as business units.
Well the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft story is a fairly long and convoluted one. Rentschler founded Wright Aeronautical. Wright Aeronautical was previously Wright-Martin. Wright-Martin was a merger of the Glenn L. Martin Company and the Wright Company which occurred in 1916. Wright Company was created by Orville and Wilbur Wright. Glenn Martin resigned from Wright-Martin in 1917. The company was renamed Wright Aeronautical in 1919. The Wright “Whirlwind” engine was used on the plane that the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh flew solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean on May 21, 1927. Then in 1924 Rentschler left Wright Aeronautical with some engineers after a dispute regarding funding for an air-cooled engine which the government requested development of. So Rentschler headed to Connecticut to Pratt & Whitney which at the time was called the “Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool Company”. It was founded in 1860 by Francis A. Pratt and Amos Whitney (a cousin of Eli Whitney). They were located in Hartford, Connecticut. Pratt & Whitney provided funds, building facilities, and even their name. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft was incorporated in 1925.
The following is but a short list of well-known aircraft that have had Pratt & Whitney engines installed on them:
B-52 Stratofortress (1952) - the J57
Boeing 707 (1958) - the JT3
SR-71 Blackbird (1964) - the J58
Boeing 747 (1966) - the JT9D
F-15 Eagle (1970) - the F100
Boeing 727 (1980) - the JT8D
Boeing 747 (1987) - the PW4000
Boeing 777 (1989) - the PW4084
F/A-22 Raptor (1991) - the F119
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft manufactured 363,610 piston aircraft engines during World War II which was nearly half of all the engines produced.
Charles Lindbergh was once employed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft The desk he used can be seen at the Pratt & Whitney Museum in Hartford, CT. Connecticut’s economy relies in large part on the Defense Industry and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft is the states largest private employer.
Over the years Pratt & Whitney Aircraft has made engines that have been installed in a large variety of civil and military aircraft. They have also made engines (both piston and jet) that have been used to generate electrical power on the ground. There power plants have been installed in U.S. Navy ships. They even in had small helicopter turbine engines installed on Indy and Formula One racing cars. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft also has a division in Canada that was founded in 1928. It makes turboprop engines for small aircraft.
In 1929 Rentschler incorporated the company called: “United Aircraft and Transport Company”. The creation of United Airlines came about from this company. United Aircraft and Transport Company then became United Aircraft Corporation which was comprised of the following four companies: Pratt & Whitney, Vought Aircraft (from Chance Vought – another aviation legend – but this company left in 1954), Sikorsky Aircraft (from famed helicopter inventor Igor Sikorsky), and Hamilton-Standard which makes propellers. Then in 1975 United Aircraft Corporation became the United Technologies Corporation which we know today. United Technologies Corporation or UTC also has Carrier (air conditioning and refrigeration) and Otis (elevators) as business units.
Henson and Stringfellow
If you recall in the 1965 version of the movie “The Flight of the Phoenix” the character Heinrich Dorfmann says the following: “In 1841 Henson and Stringfellow built a rubber-powered model that flew 600 meters before encountering an obstruction”. So you ask yourself who are Henson and Stringfellow. Were they aviation pioneers? Did they do something historic? And if so what was it?
Their names were William Samuel Henson and John Stringfellow. Henson was born May 3, 1812 in the town Chard, which is in the county of Somerset, England. He became a successful businessman like his father in the lace-making industry in Somerset. John Stringfellow was born December 6, 1799 in Attercliffe near Sheffield, England. He was an engineer and also in the lace-making industry in Somerset.
Mr. Henson’s aeronautical work was influenced by the world renowned Sir George Cayley. Henson and Stringfellow designed a steam-driven aircraft which they called an: “aerial steam carriage” which was the first known design for a propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft. Mr. Henson submitted a patent (British Patent # 9478) in 1842 for a flying machine called the “Aerial”. When one looks at these drawings the elements of design and construction that were later used in Word War I era aircraft can be seen.
And according to the patent it planned "to convey letters, goods and passengers from place to place through the air". This would have made it the first air mail carrier or airline. In 1843 Henson and Stringfellow formed a company with Frederick Marriott, and D.E. Colombine called: “Aerial Transit Company”.
Frederick Marriott was credited in later years with coining the term “aeroplane”. What Henson and Stringfellow had done was 60 years before the Wright Brother’s first successful flight on December 17, 1903. They also created a very impressive public media campaign with flyers and posters of the aircraft “Aerial” depicting it in flight in exotic locations. These flyers and posters appeared all over the world. And the “Aerial” had never actually flown; it had made a very, very short hop. The reason for this is that it’s power plant which was a steam engine was too heavy and under-powered (it had 30-horsepower). But the engineering of the aircraft design itself was very sound and it would influence future aeronautical thinking.
Henson was married to Sarah Ann Jones in 1848. In 1849 he and his wife emigrated to the U.S. and they lived in Newark, New Jersey. He would go on to be known as “Mad-man” Henson. He was a broken and humiliated man in his later years. He died in 1888. He was buried in East Orange, New Jersey.
John Stringfellow was married to Hannah Keetch in 1827. He was awarded a prize of L100 pounds at the aeronautical exhibition at Crystal Palace in June 1868 by the Royal Aeronautical Society for his model steam engine. His steam engine had the highest power-to-weight ratio of the 15 engines on display. He was elected a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society also in 1868. He had a triplane design (see below) and his work laid the foundation for those that followed. Had Stringfellow had a small lightweight internal combustion engine available he would have been able to fly at least 40 years before the Wright Brother’s. John Stringfellow died in 1883 in Chard.
Their names were William Samuel Henson and John Stringfellow. Henson was born May 3, 1812 in the town Chard, which is in the county of Somerset, England. He became a successful businessman like his father in the lace-making industry in Somerset. John Stringfellow was born December 6, 1799 in Attercliffe near Sheffield, England. He was an engineer and also in the lace-making industry in Somerset.
Mr. Henson’s aeronautical work was influenced by the world renowned Sir George Cayley. Henson and Stringfellow designed a steam-driven aircraft which they called an: “aerial steam carriage” which was the first known design for a propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft. Mr. Henson submitted a patent (British Patent # 9478) in 1842 for a flying machine called the “Aerial”. When one looks at these drawings the elements of design and construction that were later used in Word War I era aircraft can be seen.
And according to the patent it planned "to convey letters, goods and passengers from place to place through the air". This would have made it the first air mail carrier or airline. In 1843 Henson and Stringfellow formed a company with Frederick Marriott, and D.E. Colombine called: “Aerial Transit Company”.
Frederick Marriott was credited in later years with coining the term “aeroplane”. What Henson and Stringfellow had done was 60 years before the Wright Brother’s first successful flight on December 17, 1903. They also created a very impressive public media campaign with flyers and posters of the aircraft “Aerial” depicting it in flight in exotic locations. These flyers and posters appeared all over the world. And the “Aerial” had never actually flown; it had made a very, very short hop. The reason for this is that it’s power plant which was a steam engine was too heavy and under-powered (it had 30-horsepower). But the engineering of the aircraft design itself was very sound and it would influence future aeronautical thinking.
Henson was married to Sarah Ann Jones in 1848. In 1849 he and his wife emigrated to the U.S. and they lived in Newark, New Jersey. He would go on to be known as “Mad-man” Henson. He was a broken and humiliated man in his later years. He died in 1888. He was buried in East Orange, New Jersey.
John Stringfellow was married to Hannah Keetch in 1827. He was awarded a prize of L100 pounds at the aeronautical exhibition at Crystal Palace in June 1868 by the Royal Aeronautical Society for his model steam engine. His steam engine had the highest power-to-weight ratio of the 15 engines on display. He was elected a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society also in 1868. He had a triplane design (see below) and his work laid the foundation for those that followed. Had Stringfellow had a small lightweight internal combustion engine available he would have been able to fly at least 40 years before the Wright Brother’s. John Stringfellow died in 1883 in Chard.
Charles Lindbergh - The Lone Eagle during WWII in the Pacific
Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator, was against America going into WWII. After the Pearl Harbor attacks, however, he wanted to do whatever he could for the war effort. President Roosevelt didn’t want a national hero to be involved in any actual combat lest he got hurt or killed. Also the president held some deep resentment against Mr. Lindbergh because of Lindbergh’s activities before the war.
So in May 1944 Charles Lindbergh became a Technical Advisor/Consultant to the United Aircraft Company which required him to Field Test the F4U Corsair with the Marine Corps at Guadalcanal. He flew on 14 combat missions. Then in June 1994 he went to the lush tropical island of Emirau (also spelled Emira). This island is in the St. Matthias Group or Islands, also known as the Mussau Islands, in the Bismarck Archipelago that makes up part of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is approximately 125 north of Australia.
Lindbergh was stationed with the 475th Fighter Group which was part of the 5th Air Force. This group was known as “Satan’s Angels.” He would be flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. He took part in 50 combat missions and even shot down 1 enemy plane.
As an observer he quickly calculated that the combat radius of the P-38 could be extended by 30%. A standard technique at the time was to cruise at 2200 – 2400 rpm’s with a fuel/air mixture set to auto-rich with the manifold pressure set to low. Lindbergh called for only 1600 rpm with a fuel/air mixture set to auto-lean and a manifold pressure set to high. This reduced fuel consumption to between 63 and 70 gallons per hour from 90 to 100 gallons per hour. The cruising speed was around 185 mph. The P-38’s used to fly a five-hour mission and come back on fumes, but after taking Lindbergh’s advice, the range of the P-38’s increased as much as 400 miles. The mission’s (bomber escort and loiter) time was increased to nine hours with fuel to spare. I doubt that the pilot’s enjoyed sitting in the cockpit for nine hours!
When Lindbergh first gave his advice for extending the range of the P-38, the pilots and especially the mechanics were against it. The mechanics thought that the engines would be put under too much strain and that part’s of the engines would rapidly wear out. But after the P-38’s came back from missions, the mechanics would strip the engines down and find no abnormal wear or tear. Lindbergh was vindicated, but he chose not to lord that over anyone. He let his actions speak for him.
So in May 1944 Charles Lindbergh became a Technical Advisor/Consultant to the United Aircraft Company which required him to Field Test the F4U Corsair with the Marine Corps at Guadalcanal. He flew on 14 combat missions. Then in June 1994 he went to the lush tropical island of Emirau (also spelled Emira). This island is in the St. Matthias Group or Islands, also known as the Mussau Islands, in the Bismarck Archipelago that makes up part of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is approximately 125 north of Australia.
Lindbergh was stationed with the 475th Fighter Group which was part of the 5th Air Force. This group was known as “Satan’s Angels.” He would be flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. He took part in 50 combat missions and even shot down 1 enemy plane.
As an observer he quickly calculated that the combat radius of the P-38 could be extended by 30%. A standard technique at the time was to cruise at 2200 – 2400 rpm’s with a fuel/air mixture set to auto-rich with the manifold pressure set to low. Lindbergh called for only 1600 rpm with a fuel/air mixture set to auto-lean and a manifold pressure set to high. This reduced fuel consumption to between 63 and 70 gallons per hour from 90 to 100 gallons per hour. The cruising speed was around 185 mph. The P-38’s used to fly a five-hour mission and come back on fumes, but after taking Lindbergh’s advice, the range of the P-38’s increased as much as 400 miles. The mission’s (bomber escort and loiter) time was increased to nine hours with fuel to spare. I doubt that the pilot’s enjoyed sitting in the cockpit for nine hours!
When Lindbergh first gave his advice for extending the range of the P-38, the pilots and especially the mechanics were against it. The mechanics thought that the engines would be put under too much strain and that part’s of the engines would rapidly wear out. But after the P-38’s came back from missions, the mechanics would strip the engines down and find no abnormal wear or tear. Lindbergh was vindicated, but he chose not to lord that over anyone. He let his actions speak for him.
Airline Accidents - Airline Maintenance
I am neither an Airline Pilot nor an Aviation Mechanic. I have observed the news with regards to airliner accidents though. The articles that I have read talk about the possibility of poor or shoddy maintenance, mediocre at best. I believe that the majority of Aviation Maintenance Facilities are reputable and that they employ skilled Mechanics. Having said this, some of you out there may think that I am naïve and not in touch with reality. That's fine. I look forward to any comments, insights, or criticisms. Airlines have outsourced there maintenance operations to cut costs. To be in the airline business today is financially a very risky proposition. Some people believe that when airlines outsource the maintenance to cut costs that they also cut corners. But think for a moment about all of the millions of people that fly on airlines each year, and think of the millions of air miles that are flown each year, without incident. But the media will put an airline crash on the front page because if it bleeds it leads. I am not faulting the media, they are just doing there job. I know that it has been said many, many times that: "Air travel is safer than _____" (fill in the blank). But to the loved ones that have perished in those accidents that is no consolation. Could some of the accidents have been prevented? I am sure of it. Were the accidents due to pilot error? Were the accidents due to a bad design or an engineering flaw? Were the accidents due to bad maintenance? The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates the crashes to find out. People have asked if the FAA is doing its job. That could be debated on and on. Are all the Aviation Maintenance Facilities around the world at the same level? Do all the Aviation Maintenance Mechanics around the world have the same level of expertise? I am asking a lot of questions here. I look forward to reading the replies that contain possible answers and to the dialogue that hopefully gets sparked.
A Look at the B-52 Bomber
The historic Boeing B-52 Bomber first flew 57 years ago on April 15, 1952. The B-52’s official name is ‘Stratofortress’ but its nickname is BUFF which stands for ‘Big Ugly Fat Fellow’ among other things. The B-52 has been used in combat missions from the Vietnam War up to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. NASA has used a B-52 (Serial Number 52-0008 – it was the 10th one off the assembly line) from 1959 until 2004 as a “Mothership” to lift aloft experimental and research aircraft on test flights. It was the oldest aircraft NASA had and it was the oldest flying B-52.
The idea for a long range large bomber started in 1946. The design of B-52 was to originally have straight wings and be propeller driven. The Air Force wanted a jet engine powered bomber. Then on the weekend of October 23-24 in 1948 in a room at the Hotel Van Cleve in Dayton, Ohio the current design (swept wing and jet engine powered) was made by a team that consisted of the following people: of Ed Wells, George Schairer, Art Carlsen, Vaughn Blumenthal, H.W. “Bob” Withington, and Maynard Pennell.
The B-52 was developed to thwart the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union. It was designed to carry nuclear weapons. Boeing manufactured a total of 744 aircraft. There are currently 76 in active service and 20 in reserve.
Here are some of the specifications of a B-52, ‘H’ Model:
Wingspan: 185 feet
Length: 159 feet, 4 inches
Height: 40 feet, 8 inches
Maximum Speed: 650 mph
Maximum takeoff weight: 488,000 pounds
Bomb Load: 70,000 pounds
The prototype model had tandem seats like jet fighters but General Curtis LeMay who was in charge of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) wanted the conventional side-by-side cockpit. The models went from ‘A’ to the current model ‘H’. The ‘A’ through ‘G’ models were manufactured from 1952 until 1962. The last ‘H’ model (Serial Number 61-0040) left the factory on October 26, 1962. Over the years the aircraft has been modified and upgraded. Its airframe has had sections modified and strengthened due to structural fatigue. Its avionics suite has been vastly improved. Their are crewmembers who have had fathers (and possibly grandfathers) that have been crewmembers. There have been suggestions of replacing the eight Pratt & Whitney jet engines with Rolls-Royce models but this would have been too costly. The replacement of the B-52 itself by the B-1 Lancer (nickname ‘BONE’) and/or the B-2 Stealth Bomber has been suggested but that hasn’t happened. The U.S. Air Force intends on deploying the B-52 until 2040.
The B-52 in September of 2006 became the first U.S. military aircraft to use an ‘alternative’ synthetic fuel mixture. It was 50% JP-8 fuel and 50% fuel from a process called Fischer-Tropsch (FT). This is so we will depend less on foreign oil supplies. The U.S. Air Force is planning on having all the aircraft in its inventory using this synthetic fuel by 2011. The B-52 has a long history and it doesn’t seem to be over yet.
The idea for a long range large bomber started in 1946. The design of B-52 was to originally have straight wings and be propeller driven. The Air Force wanted a jet engine powered bomber. Then on the weekend of October 23-24 in 1948 in a room at the Hotel Van Cleve in Dayton, Ohio the current design (swept wing and jet engine powered) was made by a team that consisted of the following people: of Ed Wells, George Schairer, Art Carlsen, Vaughn Blumenthal, H.W. “Bob” Withington, and Maynard Pennell.
The B-52 was developed to thwart the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union. It was designed to carry nuclear weapons. Boeing manufactured a total of 744 aircraft. There are currently 76 in active service and 20 in reserve.
Here are some of the specifications of a B-52, ‘H’ Model:
Wingspan: 185 feet
Length: 159 feet, 4 inches
Height: 40 feet, 8 inches
Maximum Speed: 650 mph
Maximum takeoff weight: 488,000 pounds
Bomb Load: 70,000 pounds
The prototype model had tandem seats like jet fighters but General Curtis LeMay who was in charge of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) wanted the conventional side-by-side cockpit. The models went from ‘A’ to the current model ‘H’. The ‘A’ through ‘G’ models were manufactured from 1952 until 1962. The last ‘H’ model (Serial Number 61-0040) left the factory on October 26, 1962. Over the years the aircraft has been modified and upgraded. Its airframe has had sections modified and strengthened due to structural fatigue. Its avionics suite has been vastly improved. Their are crewmembers who have had fathers (and possibly grandfathers) that have been crewmembers. There have been suggestions of replacing the eight Pratt & Whitney jet engines with Rolls-Royce models but this would have been too costly. The replacement of the B-52 itself by the B-1 Lancer (nickname ‘BONE’) and/or the B-2 Stealth Bomber has been suggested but that hasn’t happened. The U.S. Air Force intends on deploying the B-52 until 2040.
The B-52 in September of 2006 became the first U.S. military aircraft to use an ‘alternative’ synthetic fuel mixture. It was 50% JP-8 fuel and 50% fuel from a process called Fischer-Tropsch (FT). This is so we will depend less on foreign oil supplies. The U.S. Air Force is planning on having all the aircraft in its inventory using this synthetic fuel by 2011. The B-52 has a long history and it doesn’t seem to be over yet.
First to Fly
Who was the first person to fly? Now when I say fly I mean sustained, controlled flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft.
Was it that snappy dresser from Brazil Alberto Santos Dumont? His countrymen fervently think so. His first flight was on October 23, 1906. It was recognized by Brazilians and by the French and other Europeans to truly be the first controlled flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft. It had the ability to take off from the ground without any catapult assistance and it was witnessed in public by a large crowd and the scientific community.
When the Wright Brothers flew in the United States in front of people in general and in front of the press in particular they asked that no photographs be taken. They were very secretive because they were afraid that others would steal their designs or technical features of the aircraft. During the timeframe of 1903 - 1906 they still didn't have an approved or accepted Patent which also was a factor in their secrecy. Their Patent (# 821,393) was granted on May 22,1906 - three years after they first flew. Then in 1908 they were awarded a government contract from the U.S. War Department ($25,000). They went to Paris on May 29, 1908 and finally demonstrated the aircraft in front of a very large crowd.
Was it Gustave Whitehead in Fairfield, Connecticut on August 14, 1901? Eyewitnesses have signed depositions years later attesting to that statement. Modern replicas of Whitehead's aircraft have been successfully flown. A contract was made between the estate of the Wright Brother's and the Smithsonian Institution to display the Wright Flyer' at the Smithsonian (National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.) which stated that if it is proven that anyone else had flown first that the Wright Flyer would be taken back. Conspiracy theorists say that this contract' was created to keep facts about Whitehead's alleged flight from being divulged and published. Does a photograph exist showing Gustave Whitehead in flight in 1901? Has the existence of this photograph been suppressed? Controversy to this day still swirls around all these issues.
Was it Richard Pearse from New Zealand on March 31, 1903? He had eyewitnesses also. But there wasn't any photographic evidence of flight. Also Richard Pearse has never said he was the first to fly and he does not want to take away that claim from the Wright Brother's. The New Zealand Mint struck a silver medal in 1982 to commemorate the: "80th Anniversary of the World 1st Powered Flight". The date on the medal is: "31-3-1982". This of course would have made the alleged 1st flight in 1902. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland which had commissioned the silver medal states on their website that the 1st flight was in 1903. So was it 1902 or 1903? The debate still goes on.
Was it Glenn Curtiss? He flew an improved (structurally modified) version of Samuel P. Langley's Great Aerodrome' in 1914. So does that mean it could have flown in 1903 before the Wright Brother's? The 'Great Aerodrome' fell off a houseboat in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. twice in 1903 (October 7th and December 8th).
Mr. Curtiss and the Wright Brother's had Patent Litigation for many years with regards towards "controllable" flight and whose control system (wing-warping or elevator's and ailerons) was the first and therefore legitimate.
Or was it really the Wright Brothers? It has been said that they didn't really fly on December 17, 1903. Allegedly when Wilbur Wright was running alongside the aircraft he was supposedly balancing he was actually lifting it while his brother Orville Wright was flying' it. The deep depressions of Wilbur's footprints in the sand are supposed to be proof of that.
Well I was born and raised in Connecticut, but does that mean I have to automatically state that Gustave Whitehead was the first to fly? On the contrary, I emphatically state that I believe that the Wright Brothers (Orville and Wilbur) designed, built, tested, and flew the first heavier-than-air aircraft in sustained and controllable flight. Who knows, maybe someone someday will prove beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that someone else was first to fly. But until that day comes I am sticking with the Wright Brothers.
Was it that snappy dresser from Brazil Alberto Santos Dumont? His countrymen fervently think so. His first flight was on October 23, 1906. It was recognized by Brazilians and by the French and other Europeans to truly be the first controlled flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft. It had the ability to take off from the ground without any catapult assistance and it was witnessed in public by a large crowd and the scientific community.
When the Wright Brothers flew in the United States in front of people in general and in front of the press in particular they asked that no photographs be taken. They were very secretive because they were afraid that others would steal their designs or technical features of the aircraft. During the timeframe of 1903 - 1906 they still didn't have an approved or accepted Patent which also was a factor in their secrecy. Their Patent (# 821,393) was granted on May 22,1906 - three years after they first flew. Then in 1908 they were awarded a government contract from the U.S. War Department ($25,000). They went to Paris on May 29, 1908 and finally demonstrated the aircraft in front of a very large crowd.
Was it Gustave Whitehead in Fairfield, Connecticut on August 14, 1901? Eyewitnesses have signed depositions years later attesting to that statement. Modern replicas of Whitehead's aircraft have been successfully flown. A contract was made between the estate of the Wright Brother's and the Smithsonian Institution to display the Wright Flyer' at the Smithsonian (National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.) which stated that if it is proven that anyone else had flown first that the Wright Flyer would be taken back. Conspiracy theorists say that this contract' was created to keep facts about Whitehead's alleged flight from being divulged and published. Does a photograph exist showing Gustave Whitehead in flight in 1901? Has the existence of this photograph been suppressed? Controversy to this day still swirls around all these issues.
Was it Richard Pearse from New Zealand on March 31, 1903? He had eyewitnesses also. But there wasn't any photographic evidence of flight. Also Richard Pearse has never said he was the first to fly and he does not want to take away that claim from the Wright Brother's. The New Zealand Mint struck a silver medal in 1982 to commemorate the: "80th Anniversary of the World 1st Powered Flight". The date on the medal is: "31-3-1982". This of course would have made the alleged 1st flight in 1902. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland which had commissioned the silver medal states on their website that the 1st flight was in 1903. So was it 1902 or 1903? The debate still goes on.
Was it Glenn Curtiss? He flew an improved (structurally modified) version of Samuel P. Langley's Great Aerodrome' in 1914. So does that mean it could have flown in 1903 before the Wright Brother's? The 'Great Aerodrome' fell off a houseboat in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. twice in 1903 (October 7th and December 8th).
Mr. Curtiss and the Wright Brother's had Patent Litigation for many years with regards towards "controllable" flight and whose control system (wing-warping or elevator's and ailerons) was the first and therefore legitimate.
Or was it really the Wright Brothers? It has been said that they didn't really fly on December 17, 1903. Allegedly when Wilbur Wright was running alongside the aircraft he was supposedly balancing he was actually lifting it while his brother Orville Wright was flying' it. The deep depressions of Wilbur's footprints in the sand are supposed to be proof of that.
Well I was born and raised in Connecticut, but does that mean I have to automatically state that Gustave Whitehead was the first to fly? On the contrary, I emphatically state that I believe that the Wright Brothers (Orville and Wilbur) designed, built, tested, and flew the first heavier-than-air aircraft in sustained and controllable flight. Who knows, maybe someone someday will prove beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that someone else was first to fly. But until that day comes I am sticking with the Wright Brothers.
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