Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Famous Aviators

Over the last few days, it seems the aviation bug has been gnawing away at me.

With the prospect of finally achieving flight on the horizon, I can't get enough. Videos, interviews, blog posts, television, movies-and most powerful of all, history.

I don't know if you've ever heard of Howard Hughes. What an inspiring individual- a man who didn't take no for an answer and made history breaking air speed records and building the largest plane the world saw until the Russian Antonov came along. Amelia Earhart, probably the most famous of all female aviators, inspired me as much as Joan of Arc did when I was a child.

Then there are the unsung heroes- Ari Fuji, the first woman in Japan to become an airline Captain- just last year. Yekaterina Zelenko, a Soviet WW2 pilot who died to destroy an enemy fighter. There are thousands of others, pilots and engineers alike, who made the dream a reality, who's names might never be known. Hundreds of thousands of souls like me, who dreamed of taking to the skies, who looked down at the clouds or the earth below with childlike wonder. Thousands who never could. Thousands who gave up. Thousands who turned their back on their desires.

That will never be me.




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