Just recently I received an email about the development of technology including a link to 'jetman'. I was 'blown away' (not literally!) There seem to be no limits to what humans will do with technology. Just think the Wright Brothers launched their first powered flight in 1903 ... and now we have 'jetman' only 112 years later. Man has always wanted to fly. And now they can.
 |
| Jetman in action |
Even though I could think of nothing worse than to 'fly through the air with the greatest of ease' (or parachute out of a plane which seems to be the new fashion for oldies celebrating a milestone) - I found it fascinating. I recalled the film Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines - Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes a 1965 British comedy film based on a fictional account of an air race. It is set in 1910. Did you see it - hilarious - in its day - but oh so dated now.
As with so much these days things have changed even in the writing of the catchy theme song - the first two lines were written by Lorraine Williams (no relation!) the
wife of Elmo Williams, who was then the European Managing
Director of 20th Century Fox. In those days Mrs Williams was not credited on the sheet
music which was written by the English composer Ron Goodwin. Just to take you back here are the words (thankyou Mrs Williams!)
Those magnificent men in their flying machines,
they go up tiddly up up,
they go down tiddly down down.
they go up tiddly up up,
they go down tiddly down down.
They enchant all the ladies and steal all the scenes,
with their up tiddly up up
and their down tiddly down down.
with their up tiddly up up
and their down tiddly down down.
Up, down, flying around,
looping the loop and defying the ground.
looping the loop and defying the ground.
They're all frightfully keen,
those magnificent men in their flying machines.
those magnificent men in their flying machines.
They can fly upside with their feet in the air,
They don"t think of danger, they really don"t care.
Newton would think he had made a mistake,
To see those young men and the chances they take.
They don"t think of danger, they really don"t care.
Newton would think he had made a mistake,
To see those young men and the chances they take.
Those magnificent men in their flying machines,
they go up tiddly up up,
they go down tiddly down down.
they go up tiddly up up,
they go down tiddly down down.
They enchant all the ladies and steal all the scenes,
with their up tiddly up up
and their down tiddly down down.
with their up tiddly up up
and their down tiddly down down.
Up, down, flying around,
looping the loop and defying the ground.
looping the loop and defying the ground.
They're all frightfully keen,
Those magnificent men in their flying machines.
Those magnificent men in their flying machines.
You can listen to the song here if you want - it's fun!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPgS26ZhqZs
Well 'jetman' Yves Rossy has taken that song and made it his own. As he goes up, down, flying around, looping the loop and defying the ground. I loved his explanation of how it feels, how he 'drives' it, and more. Do take time to watch history being made. As he says "I am the fuselage". And do watch those lucky wide-eyed children listening to him (including one with a black jetman on his back - Batman is so passe!)
It won't be long before we are all flying around - they'll need traffic lights in the sky (now there's an idea!) Instead of bikie clubs there will be jetman clubs. The mind boggles. Just as it would have when the Wright Bros first flew - never would man have imagined that flying is available to much of the world's population or that we would land on the moon.
Superman here we come!
But until then I will leave you with this photo of 2 aircraft - the A380 and a Boeing 737 landing at Los Angeles airport
(bet it takes you a while to see the smaller plane - hint - it is red
and blue!). We've certainly come a long way since the Wright Brothers.
 |
| The A380 is actually half a mile from the 737 (thank goodness!) |
No comments:
Post a Comment