A Glimpse Into the World

 As with all turbine engines, you have to start the engine manually before it can self-sustain. This tenet of aeronautical engineering applies both to aviation and the Internet. In the movie, The Social Network, constant advertising about Facebook as well as social word-of-mouth advertising led to Facebook being able to start up and self-sustain without the further need to advertise. This moot point is only a glimpse of the similarities that aviation shares with the Internet, and within this blog I aim to draw more of these connections, thereby projecting a new view of aviation that not many have seen before. So, here it goes, throwing everything down and hoping it will catch on, much like an air force pilot will hope for when he lands on an aircraft carrier.

What is the first thing that strikes you about Aviation? For me, it's the freedom. The freedom to do whatever you would like in the air (with restrictions, of course). With this freedom comes responsibility, whether that is the responsibility to look out for traffic, keep in contact with Boston TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control), or adjust your NDB (Non-directional Beacon) for the next heading. These responsibilities ensure that each pilot remains safe, in control, and connected to society.

Although freedom in aviation is leaving the earth for a few hours, it does not encompass becoming disconnected from society. Much like the Internet, pilots require constant connection to the ground with respect to air traffic controllers in control towers and TRACON stations. Often individuals might not think that aviation and the Internet are similar, but surprisingly, they are very much alike.

Now, I must ask, what is the purpose of the internet? Answers will vary from individual to individual, but for me, I believe the internet is a basis of communication from one area of the world to the next whilst allowing for experiences that an individual using the internet might not have had otherwise. Within this boundary is where aviation has played an imperative role for the last one hundred plus years.

Aviation has connected continents together by allowing for the fast travel between places in the world. Indeed 12 hour plane trips seem tedious and lengthy, but back when the pioneers of aviation flew people to the other side of the world, the length of time meant nothing due to the experience that these people would have. Aviation has connected the world long before the Internet was even fathomed, and aviation continues to do so today. Although the Internet allows for connections to other people around the world in a heartbeat, nothing can replace the feeling of actually meeting a person face to face and seeing a whole other world that was only represented through pictures.

The destination in aviation isn't the most exciting part though, it's the process in which you travel. Personally, I love the start up sequence of most aircraft, especially those that run on turbine engines such as the MD500 Helicopter. There is something elemental about listening to the machine that you will trust your life with spring to life. Here is where the Internet and aviation diverge, the immersion of activity.

In aviation, you can feel the plane reacting to your input and you can visually see the resultants of your actions. Online, it's very difficult to simulate feedback, whether it be from video games or Second Life, there is always a sense of disconnection from the world. The immersion in aviation is immense, and it has to be. When you want to fly, you're entrusting a machine with your life, and you must be thorough with every checklist. It's tedious and takes time, but it's well worth it in the end when you take flight.