August welcomes National Aviation Day. What does flying have to do with business? A lot. As in business, the evolution of aviation came as a result of risk takers overcoming their fears. These risks lead to great advancements.
Back in the day, who would have thought that a big thing made of metal would be able to fly the skies. If you could talk to a person from the 1500s, and tell them that transportation via air is possible, the most common reaction you will probably get will be, “You are crazy!” Let’s take a look at the humbling evolution of aviation.
Man-Birds
Flying was just a dream for our ancestors. Of course, they did everything they could to make it possible but the technology and knowledge needed for flying was just not available back then. However, it did not stop them from making innovations in the history of flight.
Earliest attempts of flying usually ended in death or serious injury back then. Daedalus and Icarus were among the earliest records of an attempt at flying. They did this by strapping wing-like devices to their body and then jumping off of a tower in an attempt to fly. Reports said that even in 1811, tower jumping was still present.
And then there were sky lanterns…
It was the Chinese that invented sky lanterns. They would make a paper balloon and beneath it would be a small source of fire, usually a candle or a lamp. The hot air would be the reason why the lantern would float and fly to the sky. This was the basis for the hot air balloon. Hot air balloon are still present in current times and deploy the same basic fundamentals as Chinese sky lanterns.
The take off of aviation
As time went on, further advances in aviation were made. Leonardo da Vinci had sketches of a flying mechanical device, yet his work went undiscovered for 300 years.
Sir George Cayley is called the “father of aeroplane,” and rightly so. He made a lot of contributions to what later became the modern airplane.
And of course, the Wright brothers were the first to have a controlled flight aboard a heavier-than-air craft. As they say, the rest is history.
Looking back, the thought of aviation started as a dream. People looked at birds and envied them for their ability to fly. With calculated risks and perseverance, anything is possible. This applies business, SEO, or anything in life. The evolution of aviation reminds us that dreams can come true if you work hard. Go ahead and dream. After all, the sky is the limit. Or is it?
