from 120 feet to 240,000 miles in less than a lifetime

Chris Marriott wrote:
The first "powered flights" were powered airships. I have a vague feeling
(but no more than that) that it was a Frenchman who first did that.

Presumably you were referring to powered flight by a "heavier than air"
machine?

I'm not sure. I thought the Wright Brothers flew in December 1903,
not quite 100 years ago. Count Ferdinand and his zeppelin flew in
July 1900. The Brothers Montgolfier flew in the late eighteenth
century, well before any of the directed flights. (In fact, the
zeppelin is also called the dirigible, isn't it?)

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
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On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 13:25:35 -0400, bwhiting
wrote:

Dec 17, 1903....Kittyhawk, NC. USA
Orv and Wilber Wright from Dayton, Ohio USA

You're mssing the point...what transpired within the lifetime of an
average person from the Wrights to Armstrong.

Dennis

You're mssing the point...what transpired within the lifetime of an
average person from the Wrights to Armstrong.

No, you're missing the point. Only one of these anniversaries occurred
yesterday, not two as your first post states.
--
Curtis Croulet
Temecula, California
33° 27' 59"N, 117° 05' 53"W

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 12:47:25 -0700, "Curtis Croulet"
wrote:

You're mssing the point...what transpired within the lifetime of an
average person from the Wrights to Armstrong.

No, you're missing the point. Only one of these anniversaries occurred
yesterday, not two as your first post states.

Well, I have to discredit NPR for the information, and wonder why John
Glenn and Neil Armstrong appeared in Dayton at the Wright brothers
memorial yesterday. It was said to commemorate the joint anniversaries
of the two events. In any event, what's wondrous is that humans did
both within such a short time span.

Dennis

On 21 Jul 2003 21:09:09 GMT, Pierre Vandevenne
wrote:

wrote in news:8sjohvoio3ptmr84r2hmp5mnf286e3l2pk@
4ax.com:

of the two events. In any event, what's wondrous is that humans did
both within such a short time span.

and somewhat unfortunate that they did not do much in the years that
followed... :-(

I was six in 1969 and I am deeply disappointed that we haven't moved ahead,
even if I understand that the economics are against it. I bet I'll die
before anyone sets a foot on Mars.. that's a pity.

Yep...it's all just a matter of will...of which there is little today
for this adventure.

Cheers.

Dennis

An air ship does not fly, it floats. Bouyancy keeps an air ship aloft
while aerodynamic lift keeps an airplane aloft.

Your turn to spit into the wind.

Chris Marriott wrote:

wrote in message
news

There were two important anniversaries yesterday...one, the first
powered flight by humans 100 years ago...two, the 34th anniversary of
Armstrong's walk on the moon. Amazing that just 66 years separate the
two events, less than the lifespan of a person. Both events done by
Americans, too... astonishingly good stuff.




Hi Dennis,

The first "powered flights" were powered airships. I have a vague feeling
(but no more than that) that it was a Frenchman who first did that.

Presumably you were referring to powered flight by a "heavier than air"
machine?

Regards,

Chris

wrote in message
news
There were two important anniversaries yesterday...one, the first
powered flight by humans 100 years ago...two, the 34th anniversary of
Armstrong's walk on the moon. Amazing that just 66 years separate the
two events, less than the lifespan of a person. Both events done by
Americans, too... astonishingly good stuff.

Cheers,

Dennis

I just got back from a family reunion. One of the stories we recalled
was my grandfather (b. 1896) telling us about his beginning reading lessons
as he read stories in the newspaper making fun of people trying to fly. He
told us this story in 1972 as we were watching live TV coverage from the
Moon. He was one of the people who's life spanned the events you refer to.
Actually the progress in aviation was concentrated in two spurts. From
the first heavier-than-air controlled flight in 1903 it only took 24 years
until Lindbergh flew non-stop solo across the Atlantic. The next quarter
century was a period of refinement. Airplanes in WWII looked similar to
Lindbergh's. Following WWII, it took just over 20 years to get from the
first supersonic flight (1948) to the first trip to the moon. If you look at
planes in use today, they look very similar to the planes of 30 years ago.

Ron Andrews wrote:
wrote in message
news
There were two important anniversaries yesterday...one, the first
powered flight by humans 100 years ago...two, the 34th anniversary of
Armstrong's walk on the moon. Amazing that just 66 years separate the
two events, less than the lifespan of a person. Both events done by
Americans, too... astonishingly good stuff.

Cheers,

Dennis


I just got back from a family reunion. One of the stories we recalled
was my grandfather (b. 1896) telling us about his beginning reading lessons
as he read stories in the newspaper making fun of people trying to fly. He
told us this story in 1972 as we were watching live TV coverage from the
Moon. He was one of the people who's life spanned the events you refer to.
Actually the progress in aviation was concentrated in two spurts. From
the first heavier-than-air controlled flight in 1903 it only took 24 years
until Lindbergh flew non-stop solo across the Atlantic. The next quarter
century was a period of refinement. Airplanes in WWII looked similar to
Lindbergh's. Following WWII, it took just over 20 years to get from the
first supersonic flight (1948) to the first trip to the moon. If you look at
planes in use today, they look very similar to the planes of 30 years ago.


Ron,
I don't think the stealth fighter and bomber version look anything like
planes of 30 years ago.....even the SR-71....a 21st century aircraft
that happened to fall into the 20th century, thanks to the excellent
work done at the Skunk Works, looks nothing like other aircraft of its
day, or even today. (Well, maybe the F-104, but that's all).
Other than that, then I agree with you.
Clear skies,
Tom W. (former Nam pilot)

Ron Andrews wrote:

I just got back from a family reunion. One of the stories we recalled
was my grandfather (b. 1896) telling us about his beginning reading lessons
as he read stories in the newspaper making fun of people trying to fly. He
told us this story in 1972 as we were watching live TV coverage from the
Moon. He was one of the people who's life spanned the events you refer to.

I once asked my grandmother (b. 1892) if she remembered the Wright
Brothers first flight. She said she remembered stories about it but no
one believed it.

Mike Simmons

Tracy wrote in message ...

An air ship does not fly, it floats. Bouyancy keeps an air ship aloft
while aerodynamic lift keeps an airplane aloft.

Your turn to spit into the wind.


While I don't normally wish to appear (even slightly) argumentative.
One might reasonably suggest that a powered airship does in fact fly.
It may well rely on floatation for the bulk of its lift. But the
tailplanes are (& were) of (fairly conventional) aerofoil cross
section. By being driven forwards (or even backwards) by the motors.
The direction and lift/sink of the body is greatly modified by these
(often adjustable)lifting surfaces. The geometry of the motors
themselves is often highly adjustable to further increase the
directional control. Couldn't one call this "flying"? Does the skilled
"driver" of an airship have a pilots license or that of a balloonist?
I'll pass on the argument regarding the directional changes afforded.
By raising or lowering a conventional balloon. By means of added heat,
venting or reducing ballast into variable wind direction at different
altitudes. Can't this also be called "flying"? Though "ballooning" is
indeed the common term applied to the latter activity. Probably for
romantic & nostalgic reasons. (Montgolfier et al)
Makes yer spit! Don't it?

Chris.B.Pedant