Essay Sample on US Aviation: From the Wrights to WWI and Beyond

Introduction

The modern age of aviation in the United States began in December 1903 when Orville Wright and his brother Wilber made the first ever sustained and powered flight. This flight resulted in the development of the earliest practical airplane back in 1905 and set in motion worldwide efforts to design better aircrafts. Consequently, there were numerous aviation developments in the early twentieth century as new technologies and airplanes emerged. During the First World War, airlines proved to be effective military and warfare tools. Also, the introduction of early airmail service proved that there was a lot of promise for commercial flying applications. This essay looks at the history of aviation in the United States as well as the rise of civil aviation from piston-engine aircrafts to modern jets.

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In 1909, Charles Furnas became the first American to fly as a passenger when he rode with Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The earliest scheduled air service began in January 1914 in Florida. An engineer called Glenn Curtiss designed an airplane capable of taking off and landing in water. Since the plane did not have to be fitted with the heavy undercarriage required for ground landing, it could be designed larger than any other at the time. An auto parts maker called Thomas Benoit then built a seaplane that offered commercial flying services across Tampa bay, Florida. It carried one passenger at a time and could make the trip in less than an hour, when compared to a two-hour boat trip.

After the First World War, there were some limited technical developments in aircraft design. However, early aviation remained a rather dangerous undertaking. Flying conditions were quite difficult considering that magnetic compasses were the only navigation devices that pilots could use. Pilots had to fly less than 500 feet above the ground for them to use roads and railways for navigation. Fatal accidents regularly occurred due to low visibility, and night landing used bonfires on the ground as landing. All in all, the US government felt that sufficient progress had been made in aircraft development to warrant the transport of mail via air. In 1917, Congress commissioned an experimental airmail service between New York and Washington, with the first flight occurring in May 1918.

With the large number of war aircrafts no longer in use, the US Post Office decided to adopt a transcontinental air service. By the end of 1923, it was possible to deliver mail across the US in about 40 hours, much quicker than the two days it took to do it by train. Once airmail feasibility became firmly established and various airline facilities put in place, the US government decided to transfer the service to private companies by offering competitive bids. The Contract Air Mail Act of 1925, popularly known as the Kelly Act, was the legislative authority tasked with overseeing the move. This turned out to be the first major step towards the formation of a private American airline industry.

In 1925, the Morrow Board was formed to come up with a national aviation policy. The board recommended that the government sets civil aviation standards outside of the military. Congress adopted almost all of the board's recommendations in the Air Commerce Act of 1926. The act paved way for designated air routes, licensing or aircrafts and pilots, the development of navigation systems, and investigation of accidents. It also introduced the US government into commercial aviation by tasking it with regulation of private airlines. Congress also amended the Kelly Act in accordance with the Morrow Board's recommendation for airmail contracts by changing how airmail services were compensated. The government began paying carriers according to mail weight rather than a percentage of postage paid.

In 1927, Henry Ford, the great automobile manufacturer, joined the aircraft manufacturing industry and created the Ford Trimotor, popularly known as the Tin Goose. It was among the earliest all-metal aircrafts, made of duralumin- a material almost as light as aluminum with twice the strength. In addition, it was the earliest airplane designed purposely to carry passengers rather than mail. It had 12 passenger seats, a spacious cabin, and room for flight attendants. It also had three engines that made higher and faster flight possible. The Trimotor's sturdy appearance together with its association with Henry ford has a reassuring effect on people's perception about flying.

On 20th May 1927, a young American pilot called Charles Lindberg made a historic flight from New York across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Paris. It was the first ever non-stop flight in an aircraft across the ocean, and had a huge effect on both the pilot and American aviation in general. The event made aviation a more established industry, attracted millions of dollars in private investment, and won the support of all Americans.

For airlines to attract more passengers, they had to create larger, faster, and safer airplanes. The 1930s is believed to be the most innovative period in American aviation history, with manufacturers making numerous improvements to aircrafts. Water-cooled engines were replaced by air-cooled ones, minimizing weight and allowing for larger and faster aircrafts. There were major improvements in cockpit instruments such as better airspeed and rate-of-climb indicators, altimeters, and compasses. Artificial horizon was introduced that indicated an aircraft's altitude relative to the ground- an important factor while flying in reduced visibility. Radio turned out to be another huge development in aviation as it could be used as a navigation aid when visual aids like beacons were useless due to poor visibility.

The Second World War had a significant impact on aviation in the US. There were less than 300 aircrafts in America in 1939. By the time the conflict came to an end in 1945, American aircraft manufacturers were making 50,000 planes per year. Air transport played an important role in the war effort, such as movement of troops and supplies. For the first time in the history of airlines, they had far more business than they could handle in terms of passengers and freight. Airlines also had opportunities to create new routes, a situation that gave them a better outlook when the war ended. Although there were many advances in American airplane designs during the conflict, the chief goal for the US was mass production.

While air travel soared after the Second World War, the industry's growth was presented with new problems. The American sky was becoming too crowded with airplanes for the then aircraft separation systems. This spurred Congress to pass the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. The Act led to the creation of a new safety regulation agency known as the Federal Aviation Agency. It was later renamed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1967 after Congress formed the Department of Transportation. The role of this agency was to establish and operate an organized air traffic control system, and to safely separate all commercial aircrafts during all flight phases. It also took jurisdiction over all matters related to aviation safety, including airline maintenance and training programs, and aircraft design certification. Jurisdiction over economic matters such as airline rates and routes was left to the Civil Aeronautics Board.

In 1969, aircraft manufacturer Boeing conducted the first flight of a turbofan-powered, wide-body commercial airline known as the Boeing 747. This eventually went on to become among the most successful aircrafts ever made. In 1986, the Rutan Model 76 Voyager became the first aircraft to circumnavigate the world nonstop without having to refuel. An American aircraft designer called Burt Rutan used a carbon-composite material to design the aircraft for making a flight across the world on a single fuel load without stopping. The plane was equipped with two centerline engines and weighed less than two thousand pounds, although the fuel used consisted of a further 5,000 pounds. It is piloted by Burt's brother Dick Rutan and another pilot called Jeana Yeager, with the two managing to circumnavigate the globe nonstop in nine days and covering a distance of 26,000 miles.

Conclusion

In modern times, American aviation is somewhat characterized by discomfort, delays, the threat of violence, and additional charges. US airlines are not that appealing when compared to foreign ones, with European carriers offering the best point of reference. For instance, air fares in America are higher per seat mile than in Europe. The global price of jet fuel, which happens to be among the biggest expenses for airlines, has reduced by about a half since 2014. However, American passengers do not enjoy the benefits of this reduction in costs. While the fall triggered a fare between European airlines, American ticket prices have barely budged.

References

Douglas, D. G. (2015). American women and flight since 1940. University Press of Kentucky.

Pilarski, A. M. (2016). Why can't we make money in aviation?. Routledge.

Wohl, R. (2015). Up in the Air: New Approaches to the History of American Aviation. Reviews in American History, 43(4), 687-696.

Yglesias, M. (2017, Apr. 12). Why flying in America keeps getting more miserable, explained. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/4/12/15247172/why-airlines-are-terrible