Category Archives: Frivolous Flying Facts

January 19, 2012 · 2:11 pm

Frivolous Flying Facts No 3 The First Water Closet in 1913

I was amused to read that the first Water Closet, (toilet) on an aeroplane was as far back as 1913. I really don’t like to think about what happened before this time, since records show numerous serious ‘firsts’ preceding this momentous and in my opinion essential advancement in the History of Aviation.   According to The Guinness Book of Air Facts 1977 here are just a few of them:

  • The first woman pilot in 1909.
  • The first man to drop missiles in June 1910. He was dropping dummy guns on the shape of a battleship shown by marker buoys.
  • The first mail carried in flight in August 1910.
  • The first aeroplane to land on a ship in November 1910.

………………………………………………….. There are so many more. Fascinating!

If you have any frivolous facts about flying then please let me know.

My email id dianariduna@yahoo.com

My last frivolous fact in this series is a bit of a funny story, coming up next Monday.

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January 16, 2012 · 1:45 pm

Frivolous Flying Facts Number 2 – A Pilot in a Bowler Hat 1911

We move on in time now to 1911 and this could possibly be one of the first stunts ever carried out by a pilot. Tommy Sopwith, a young dare devil pilot took off in his Bleriot monoplane, much like the one which was the first to fly the English Channel back in 1909 (see video clip of the oldest plane in the world still capable of flight witnessed at The Shuttleworth Collection.)

The History of Aviation – A personal journey of discovery

 He was already dipping and diving, not only impressing a crowd but stretching his flimsy aircraft to the limit, when he took off one day in a bowler hat; not the most sensible headwear for an open cockpit. Realising this, too late, he flew back over his little hanger at Brooklands and tossed the hat out, to the delight of the crowd watching him from below, pulling immediately into a steep climb. I found this wonderful little story, which I have paraphrased for your delight, in the authorised biography of Sir Thomas Sopwith by Alan Bramston. I am sure you all know that Tommy Sopwith went on to be famous, well known for many great aircraft which bear his name and I will write a more serious account of his accomplishments at a later date.

Meanwhile, I will finish with a short video of a 1916 Sopwith Triplane, of only five years later, also witnessed regularly flying at Old Walden as part of the Shuttlworth Collection.

DIXIE

I do apologize if the links are not working correctly. I’m having technical problems downloading videos, but i’ll try again tomorrow!

Here are some photos instead. One of a 1916 Sopwith Pup. The Dixie is hiding behind it.

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January 12, 2012 · 11:46 am

Frivolous Flying Facts Number 1 – The First Flying Pig!

Whilst researching for my current project I came across several stories of early flight which made me smile, but unfortunately I coudn’t fit them into my story, so I am going to share them with you over the next two weeks:

Did you know that the first man to gain a Pilot’s licence in Britain took a pig up in his bi plane as far back as 1909?

I read this in a book I borrowed from The Shuttleworth Archives but if you want to know more, then visit this amusing blog where you can find a link to Lord Brabazon whose most unusual passenger was a pig:

PORKOPOLIS

Porcoplolis is an excellent site to make you smile, where you will find a plethora of quotes, facts and fantacy clips regarding flying pigs! Enjoy!

Have you any amusing flights of fancy to share? If you have then it would be great if you could post them in a comment or drop me an email and I’ll put it on a blog?

 dianariduna@yahoo.com

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