The Golden Age of Aviation

Introduction

From 1903 up until the eve of World War II, flying was glamorous and new, and it struck a chord in the hearts of some of the most intelligent and adventurous people in the world.

( … ) The early days of aviation were a time when flying was more than a business, it was a passion. When flying was still new, many people who had the chance to fly rhapsodized over the mystery and the beauty of the experience, for they saw the new technology as having a soul. Airplanes have lost much of their magic in the past fifty years. Today's commercial jumbo jets may appear to be nothing more than efficient machines, but they, too, were born in the hearts and minds of people.

( ... ) The dream of flying has fueled the human imagination since ancient times. Many cultures have legends of brave mortals who soared through the sky like birds, and the most famous of these is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus.

( ... ) The myth of Icarus was intended to remind all who heard the tale that they were humans, not gods, but it also has something more to say about the pioneers of aviation. Like Icarus, the first aviators were in constant danger of flying too high or low for their own safety, yet if they had not dared to fly at all, humanity would have missed out on one of the greatest adventures of all time.