“They had no college education, no formal technical training, no experience working with anyone other than themselves, no friends in high places, no financial backing, no government subsidies, and little money of their own.” – The Wright Brothers
There is new turbulence in the sky as Luddites around the globe have declared war on aviation in their attempt to save the planet. It was only a scant hundred years ago when airplanes were still yet a dream for the visionaries who observed birds in flight and saw possibilities where others couldn’t, opening a world of travel that was inconceivable to even the richest rulers in centuries past.
For them, travel was grueling and limited to long treks on steam-powered trains and ships with travel time measured in the weeks and months. Airplanes now move passengers from one side of the world to the other in a matter of hours. That the longest known flight from Singapore to Newark takes a mere 17 hours, is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Wilbur and Orville Wright.
The Wright Brothers began their dream of flight after receiving a toy helicopter from France from their father. A stick with twin propellers and twisted rubber bands was enough to send them on their way. The brothers had no advanced education but grew up in a modest home with a father who loved books and had a considerable library. Adding to the advances made by their European counterparts, the brothers considered the arched and vaulted wings of the birds in flight in crafting their designs, an original innovation. They read and reread a book called “Animal Mechanism” by a French physician on aerial propulsion. They contacted the Smithsonian for additional literature on the subject and studied the work already accomplished by those who came before them. They conferred with engineers and began their venture with unpowered gliders. They tested hundreds of different wing designs and crafted a lightweight motor based on the internal combustion engine used in cars to launch their creation into flight. Their first historic self-propelled flight took place in December 1903.
Whether by steamship or airplane, we’ve seen the contrast between the work of the government and the work of the entrepreneur. The hand of the government was visible in the early and unsuccessful beginnings of the steamship industry. Cornelius Vanderbilt, on the other hand, was an innovative entrepreneur who took no subsidies while building a more reliable and lower-cost alternative. As to aviation, while the brothers worked their magic, the federal government had plans of their own. After nearly ten years in the making, and over $50,000 of public money, their apparatus, the Great Aerodrome struggled into the sky. In 1903, several attempts went bust. In contrast, from 1900 to 1903, the Wright brothers spent less than $1,000 of their own money to get their planes into the air. Dozen more flights would follow over the next few years. And within six short years, their invention would go public with dozens of factories in full operation.
The Environmental “Green New Deal” threatens to limit travel to only those wealthy enough to afford the increased costs that will result from proposed regulations and carbon taxes. This suggests a significant lifestyle change for the 81 percent of American adults who have flown on a plane, including those who fly regularly for work and play. Electric power planes are being tested but will not provide long-distance travel, at least in the near future. Norway recently tested its first battery-powered aircraft which crash-landed in a lake, delaying any hope for a viable option for several years to come.
It is only the entrepreneur who will solve the problems of climate, real or imagined, as only entrepreneurs can. Take the United Parcel Services (UPS) versus the United States Postal Service (USPS). Profits, competition, and the security of its workers drove UPS to innovate. Route optimization reduced the number of left-hand turns made by its drivers after recognizing that these turns required significantly more idling. As a result, from 2004 to 2015, UPS saved 100 million gallons of gas and reduced carbon emissions by 100,000 metric tons while saving 100 million minutes in idling time. Thus, making for a cleaner environment and lower prices for its consumers. In comparison, USPS suffered 8 billion in losses in 2019, its 13th consecutive year of shortfalls. Government intervention in the delivery of letters has removed incentives and created inefficiencies. Prosperity and invention come from the entrepreneur while politics and waste come from the government.
While the climate alarmists continue to threaten all that has been gained, take a delightful stroll down memory lane, and recall the magnificent gift the Wright Brothers gave to our world in David McCullough’s 2015 book, “The Wright Brothers”. The limitless sky became possible, because of the entrepreneur.
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