Ratigan 1The AirplaneA cold breeze blows across the sand and two men are unknowingly about to make history. The men are Wilbur and Orville Wright. That day was December 17, 1903, and only five people were here to witness the historic feat (Brown 22). The invention of the airplane changed the way of life in many positive aspects, but also in negative aspects. The Wright brothers were always interested in flying. As children, their interest in flying was sparked by a toy helicopter with a rubber band that their father had given them (Rinard 16). The boys attended a public school in Cedar Rapids (Brown, 20). Wilbur and Orville were the only members of their family who did not go to college (Brown 21). Instead the two opened a bike shop while maintaining their interest in flying as a substitute. The flight wasn't just a one-day miracle. The brothers failed more than fifty times and never gave up trying everything they could until they finally changed their years of failure. The aircraft was not patented until January 22, 1904 (Brown 22). The first planes were far from high quality compared to today's planes. The propeller blades were made of wood and had a steel frame (Nahum 30). Yet, for the technology of the time, the invention was miraculous. Before then people could only stay in the air for a short, limited amount of time. Gliders and hot air balloons were the primary means of flight. Many attempts had been made to fly with control somewhat like a bird. The Wright brothers' plane gave the world the characteristics of control and precision. The Wright Brothers did not receive the immediate fame that was certainly evident. In fact, many did not believe that the flight had taken place. Wilbur and Orville until... the center of the paper... the fastest plane the SR-71 flew at two thousand one hundred and ninety-three miles an hour ("Airplane Facts"). Passenger airlinesThe Ratigan 4 plane have affected the common person. Allowing them to fly from long areas instead of driving or traveling by train. The Boeing 737 weighs one hundred and fifty thousand pounds ("Facts about Planes"). Boeing was born in 1970 and made flying much more convenient (Nahum 35). Airplanes, throughout our history, have changed the world. In so many positive ways that cannot be expressed in words, leading troops to safety or bringing supplies to those in need. The worst is remembered in the best way, like September 11th or planes crashing with passengers on board. There have been experiences that perhaps the world would be a better place without the plane.