Steve Hart: Spare a thought for the pioneers of flight

COMMENT


It was 100 years ago on Wednesday that the Wright Brothers' Kitty Hawk aircraft made American history. It is widely hailed as the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to achieve sustained flight under the control of a pilot.

The distance the plane flew was shorter than the length of a modern jumbo jet but it was a major achievement at the time.

Of course there is a question mark over the brothers' claim to have been the first in the world to fly using a powered craft. Closer to home it is believed inventor Richard Pearse took to the sky a year earlier on March 31, 1902, when he flew 350m at Waitohi, using an aircraft he designed and built from bamboo and calico.

There is a debate over who flew first, especially as some countries think they have a monopoly when it comes to charting the history of the world.

And of course we can't ignore early pioneers such as the Montgolfier brothers' balloon which rose into the air carrying two people above Paris in 1783 - what must that have felt like?

What can't be refuted is that men such as the Wrights and Pearse led the way in building fixed-wing aircraft and clearly laid the tracks for others to follow and gave us the tourism options we enjoy today.

Their inventions helped to define the 20th century and it is easy to see how far we have come in 100 short years. We started with single-seater planes that were unreliable, almost impossible to control and exposed pilots to the elements. By 1947 jet aircraft were breaking the sound barrier.

Now we think nothing of mass-transit airliners with their air-conditioned comfort, hot food, modern conveniences and inflight movies. It's sometimes hard to believe one is flying or moving at all on good flights.

Could Pearse have dreamed of such advances - eating, drinking, socialising and watching videos at 12,000m? The aircraft has increased our ability to travel with no need to rely on ships - a boon for countries such as ours.

It's fair to say that since we first stood upright we have followed our inbuilt desire to explore our world. We are so lucky today. To have almost any destination no more than a day or two away. There is so much to see and do that one has to think hard about the destinations to visit - time cannot be wasted on poor choices.

Travel is a serious business. It is important to enjoy not just the destination, but the journey, too. Travel is all part of the experience of life.

And now the holiday season is upon us many of us will be jetting off on our own adventures.

Where would people like to be on New Year's Eve? Surprisingly, it seems New York is the most popular choice according to a survey of travellers just released. Flight Centre asked 600 of its customers where they would most like to be when the clock strikes midnight on December 31. The majority wanted to be in the Big Apple.

Europe was the top continent, attracting nearly 30 per cent of respondents, and while many exotic locations also got the tick, New Zealand was still a popular choice gaining nearly a quarter of votes.

Perhaps we are drawn to places such as New York and London just because they are buzzing with people - millions of them. I don't think there's anything that can compare to a chilly Christmas in the warmth of a big city. For some the joy of snow at Christmas will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience - something to be remembered forever.

Wherever you are off to this year, have a fantastic time, enjoy the experience and savour every minute.

And while you're tucking into chicken or fish on your next flight, spare a thought for those early aviators such as Richard Pearse whose vision, bravery and determination helped us to break free from gravity.