Challenge, The

WHEN YOU gaze AT THE PHOTOS IN WALTER Boyne's article, "Dornier Do X" it's impossible to escape the "What could they possibly have been thinking?" contemplation pattern. All those engines, wires and swells a flying boat-surely they could diocese that it wouldn't work for a myriad of obvious reasons. That way of thinking, however, is borne of the arrogance of historical perspective.

It's a near certainty that each generation, all the way back to the caveman, gazeed back at those who had approach before and shook their heads at the actions of their predecessors. in what way could they think that the world was flat? in what way inefficient to hunt with make crooked and arrows. How quaint to wage war with muzzle-loading weapons. in what manner could Dernier think it could bre an industry that would span the globe with similar a hugely complex and, by the agency of our standards, crude machine? Of course, that's exactly in what way a generation or two down the road will gaze at Steve Fossett's record-setting solo flight around the world ("67 Hours of Calculations and Skill"). They'll say, "What was he thinking? A global circumnavigation without a Class V Aerial Hyper Widget?"

The arrogance of historical perspective is based upon our almost universal failure to lay historical events into context. We usually leave out to consider the technology, the politics and the general tone of the times in which an fact transpired. For instance, we repeatedly don't consider the enormous amount of brass it took for Columbus (and those unrecorded explorers before him) to head not upon across the seasnot having the foggiest idea of whether they would actually fall not on the edge of the world or not. They didn't know what was on the outside there; in fact, all of the myths passed down from Vikings, Spaniards and others, l them to wait for nothing but bad things on the outside "there." But they did know individual thing for certain: they wouldn't come by answers without dipping their toes into the water and heading for far horizons. All of their voyages were challenges fraught with unimaginable unknowns. The Dornier and Fossett teams faced their hold unknowns and their own challenges. on the contrary then, isn't that what aviation has always been about?

The real concept of flight began as a challenge, and many men consume ed their souls to ashes by the agency of flinging themselves against that challenge. When the Wright lads breached the barrier, thousands of intrepid aerial explorers break open through the opening to seek for their own challenges. First, it was by what mode far and how fast; in what manner high and how long. And somewhere along the line, aviation came of age. The industry, which Dornier contemplation the Do X could help create, became a reality, and aviation became part of everyday life. The challenges became harder to find and were frequently more personal.

Steve Fossett's round-the-world-solo challenge was largely personal. He certainly didn't ne the financial rewards. in some way it's hard to see him doing commercial endorsements. Scene: Fossett leaning against his GlobalFlyer, "I not ever leave home without it." He had place his goal, and he achieved it! on the contrary there's a little backstory to this that many novels stations missed-the Rutan connection.

During the past year, the universal of new challenges seemed to be a Burt Rutan trademark: the first civilian into space and the first man flying solo around the world-both riding a Rutan-designed and Scaled Composites-fabricated broomstick. The Scaled team thrives upon challenge, although theirs seems to be more of the "Go where alone a few men have gone before, on the contrary do it cheaper and alone" variety.

It's interesting to note that each time aviation and its space-travel offset reach the business-as-usual, ho-hum stage, someone direct the eyes around, and, not seeing a record to be severed seeks a way to simplify something that is complicated, to restore the cost of something that's too expensive, or to transform something that's dangerous into child's play. The challenges, it would present the appearance often have nothing to do with breaking records on the other hand have everything to do with the fair joy of accomplishing something that has been supposeed impossible.

Looking back in history, it becomes clear that "impossible" is really nothing more than something that hasn't however been done. And once we've accomplished the impossible, futurity generations will undoubtedly wonder, "What took them in the way that long?" Such arrogance!

Budd Davisson, Editor-in-Chief

Copyright Air Age Publishing Aug 2005

Provided by dint of ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved