Similarities and Differences Between Mankind’s First Flight and the First Moon Landing

"The flight lasted only twelve seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started." (Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk, N. Carolina on Dec. 17, 1903, as quoted in Aviation: A Historical Survey by Gibbs-Smith)

"That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind." (Neil Armstrong at the Sea of Tranquility on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. The Observer's Spaceflight Directory; Turnhill, Reginald 1978)

These two quotes from famous persons relating to aviation epitomize the contrast of mankind’s flight endeavours between 1903 and 1969. The discussion between the comparative similarities and differences of these two historic events is very broad so it will focus on four major areas. Included will be the planning and preparation, the technological approach, the methods of informing the general public, and some of the social implications of each feat.

The preparations for Orville and Wilbur Wright’s short excursion by air at Kitty Hawk, N. Carolina, took several years of trial and error. Although hot-air balloons and non-manned gliders had been in use since the late 1700’s none had yet devised a way to self-propel a structure that could carry a person through the air. (Angellucci, pp 9-13) The brothers had to determine the exact weight ratio to horsepower needed for the negative air pressure lift of a calculated wing span. But more importantly they had to "learn" how to fly the craft, for never in history had anyone documented the concept of controlling a self-propelled airborne machine. (Gwynn-Jones p. XVI)

Leonardo Da Vinci had given the Wrights a strong concept of what the craft could look like. They studied his drawings of 1485, which included more than 150 plans. The mechanical aspect that was incorporated into their co-invention came basically from the cycle shop that they owned. (Angluccis p.12) The years of studying Da Vinci’s flight concepts, trial and error of their own interpretations, construction of many different varieties of the vehicle, along with their persistence, was a perfect catalyst to one of aviation history’s more celebrated moments. (Gwynn-Jones p.xvi)

The lone indication that man had succeeded in taking flight that day (Dec. 17, 1903) was reported only in the Dayton (Ohio) Evening News, the hometown newspaper of the Wright brothers.

Despite the fact that there were no less than five witnesses, other than the Wright brothers themselves, the event went unmarked in history until the last day of December of 1908. On that day hundreds of sceptics witnessed Wilbur Wright make a "spectacular series of 104 demonstration flights by circling the field until he had covered seventy-eight miles", near Le Mans, France. (Gwynn-Jones, XVIII) Then, and only then, had the Wright brothers shown the world a new way to journey.

Until that time there were basically four distinct realms of travel: railway, automobile, horse, and boat. Now air transport had given the world a fifth way for humanity to socially diffuse and interact. (Miller, et al, p. 212)

The landing on the moon on July 20, 1969, was another of mankind’s historical moments. When astronaut Neil Armstrong reported to Mission Control, in Huston Texas, "The Eagle has landed.", he was not banned by sceptics because more than 500 million people were witnessing the event on television via satellite. (Turnhill p.111-112) The historical landing was not obscured or denied, because technology had advanced significantly from that of 1903.

Preparations for the "Moon Landing" were not without consequence, however, and "trial and error" played a significant role here as well. The first person to be launched into the outer atmosphere of our planet was Yuri Gegrarin (U.S.S.R.) on April 4, 1961. That event precipitated a global communication toward space travel that prompted worldwide attention. (Turnhill p.19) There were several more successful launchings into space until March 3, 1966, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Davis Scott (U.S.A.) had to make an emergency "splashdown" because of a jammed thruster rocket. (Turnhill p.149)

The implications of "trial and error" of the Wright brothers and "trial and error" of the National Aeronautics Space Administration (N.A.S.A.) has been documented since the 1903 flight of the "FLYER" and has culminated in a "man to air/ (space)" passion to perceive his existence. Existence which has been based primarily on "trial and error".

The social impact of both events has been more than dramatic. When the Wright brothers made their famous flight in 1903, and were not recognized until 1908, they preconceived that what they had accomplished was revolutionary and protected themselves by patents and copyrights. (Gwynn-Jones p. XVII) Whereas 5 million people had witnessed the landing on the moon, and most of those people had accepted that fact. There were still sceptics that would say, of the actual transmission of pictures on television, that it could be trick photography. (Foster p. 184) Since the flight of the "FLYER" (1903-1908) mankind has had a closer link with human events because of the transposition from land travel to air travel and from "post-pony to phone-fax." (Gwynn-Jones p. 280) This has created easier access to world events and has hastened the education of generations.

While the planning and preparations and technological approach were very different, in scientific aspects, the "trial and error" method was very similar in both events. The methods of informing the public were extremely different due to dissimilar technologies, yet the social revelries were quite comparable.

Therefore the economic and social implications of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s, and Neil Armstrong and company’s feats, are similar in that they have stimulated the economies of countries and have also stimulated the growth of science and technological advancement. Realizing that what was only deemed impossible, and is proved a reality, is what spurned science to find remedies for many "incurable" diseases.

~ Jal's Dad '94

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Angellucci, Enzo: Airplanes, From the Dawn of Flight to Present Day, McGraw-Hill (Toronto, 1973)

Foster, J.A.: For Love and Glory, McClelland and Stewart (New York, 1989)

Gwynn-Jones, Terry: Farther and Faster, Smithsonian Institutional Press (Washington, 1991)

Miller, R.-Saunders, D: The Technical Development of Modern Aviation, Prager (New York, 1970)

Turnhill, Reginald: The Observer’s Spaceflight Directory, Fredrick-Warve (London, 1978)

Other Readings:

Flight in this Century: McRory, Alan (Shane-Doughty, London 1969)

Wings: A Description: Woodman, Ian (Staden-Wadenheim, Germany 1972)