The Worldwide Significance of The Wright Brothers’ Invention

In Ohio, in 1905, the very first practical aeroplane was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright, more famously known as the Wright brothers. What they created would forever change the world. Although many consider the steam engine, the flying shuttle or the spinning jenny to be the greatest invention of the industrial revolution, the Wright Brother’s aeroplane is the true holder of this declaration. How the aeroplane saved lives, reinvented transportation and inspired other inventors will all be covered in order to demonstrate why the aeroplane is the greatest invention of the industrial revolution, a time between 1750 and 1914 where numerous extremely technological, important inventions were created, leading to a change in social and economic order.

The Wright Brothers created the aeroplane with the original inspiration of a toy brought home by their father, which harnessed the power of two elastic bands in order to fly. Later in their lives however, the Wright Brothers were creating kites with a foot wing span, funded by their bicycle business. (NASA, 2009) However, the aeroplane was used for more than the Wright Brothers had ever expected.

Following the invention of the aeroplane, numerous organisations have utilised its, and the helicopters unique abilities to help people in remote areas and possibly save lives. Considering the ability to be able to move rapidly to almost any location very efficiently, the aeroplane and helicopter do an incredible job where other vehicles fail due to either lack of speed, agility or visibility. Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service, RAC rescue helicopters and royal flying doctor service are three very well-known Australian aeromedical services which are all free and available to the public 24/7. Between the three of them, over 415,000 people have been helped, with countless who are likely to have died were it not for the assistance of the prior mentioned organisations. (Royal Flying Doctor Service, 2019) (Westpac, N.D) The aeroplane is an astonishing machine with huge potential to help people and save hundreds of thousands of lives.

Speed and convenience have given the aeroplane the ability to save lives, while also forever changing the transportation of people and goods. Aeroplanes offer superior speed and convenience, especially in comparison to buses, boats, trains or cars (Frost, N.D.). Cars take eight times as long to cover the same distance and unlike the aeroplane, require constant vigilance for potential hazards and areas requiring attention to abiding by the road rules.

Trains travel at a slightly more respectable, 50% speed of a plane while also sharing a similar convenience factor, though they lack the ability to travel overseas. Every year, 4.1 billion people travel by aeroplane and 52 million tons, or $6.8 trillion of cargo are transported by air in a faster, and more convenient way, especially as a passenger (IATA, 2019) (Morris, 2017). For the reason of the extremely high amount of transportation done by aeroplanes between passengers and cargo, it is clear to see how the aeroplane is the greatest invention of the industrial revolution because it changed how people and items were moved. It opened up the world to trade, transport and globalisation.

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the aeroplane was a feat of intelligence and ingenuity, inspiring many inventors. The aeroplane introduced and included many great technologies such as three axis control, improved aerodynamics and the combination of gliding and motors. Many well-known inventions such as the rocket, bullet train and the blimp are taken for granted today, but would be unlikely to exist were it not for the aeroplane (Norman, 2019). These inventions are fundamental to the modern world, especially the rockets/satellites, which are responsible for radio, mobile phones and the internet, all of which are crucial to the trade, commerce and politics of the modern world. Many of the aeroplanes distinct attributes are seen in the aforementioned inventions.

Specifically, in aerodynamics, the bullet like front and stabilisers seen on the rear of the aeroplane; which arise quite frequently between the four inventions. Planes also inspired many tactics for war, eventually becoming an essential factor to any war, even being vital to dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in turn ending World War Two. An extensive amount of inventions have been inspired by, or completely constructed based on the aeroplane, many of which shape our modern world today.

Considering the lives saved, cargo and people transported and vital inventions inspired by the aeroplane, it is clear to see that the aeroplane is the greatest invention of the industrial revolution. The aeroplane has forever shaped the future by inspiring countless inventions to be better, changing warfare by creating a whole new element to devote time to and forever changing the way people experience holidays, work and shipping.