As life progresses, some people take this fascination with them. Some take their dreams a step further by becoming pilots, and others are inspired to live the life of travel fused with service—the career of a flight attendant.
For those considering taking flight attendant training programs or flight attendant certificate programs, it is always a good idea to look back into the history of aviation and the geography it serves. It gives them a lens of appreciation and gratitude.
Key Points at a Glance:
- Man had always given thought to the power of flight from written text to actual experiment.
- Becoming a flight attendant is an opportunity to serve people and travel the world.
- There are several flight attendant programs offered in Canada for those interested.
History of Aviation
Man had always given thought to the power of flight. Whether it was the work of fiction or religious text, he/she then wondered what it would be like to someday take to the skies.
One of the earliest forms of “flying experiment” happened more than 2,000 years ago in the form of kites. Based on written accounts, Chinese philosopher Mo-tse was the first person to build a kite. He approximately lived from 468 B.C. to 376 B.C. However, this fact is arguable, as there has already been oral historical evidence as well pointing out that kites were also built and flown in areas like Malaysia, Indonesia, Hawaii, Polynesia and New Zealand.
Artists also imagined what it would be like for men to fly. Most notable is Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci, with aviation being one of his favorite study subjects—albeit not his expertise. Da Vinci invented a “flying machine” known as an ornithopter. It was inspired by birds, bats and kites.
While the design proved somewhat promising for people during that time, the pilot, strapped to the odd machine, was just not capable of exhausting enough power for takeoff.
When hydrogen gas was unknowingly produced in 1671 before officially recognized as an element in 1766, this scientific breakthrough would soon lead to the first-ever hydrogen air balloon in 1783.
After several attempts at creating a true model of what would influence the design and engineering of our modern aircrafts, the Wright brothers designed the first three-axis control in 1903 that would result in the world’s “first aircraft capable of being controlled without requiring such primitive methods as the shifting of one’s body weight.”
This invention would ultimately change the world. For one thing, travelling was now possible from one continent to another. It took 99 days for 16th century Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to cross the Pacific Ocean. Today, a “transpacific flight” takes only 18 hours—and people would already hate the thought of spending too much time on the plane.
Geography
In 2016, it was recorded that there were around 90,000 commercial flights around the world in a single day. As of July 2021, there are over 41,700 airports all over the world according to the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency. In fact, the US alone has over 13,000 airports.
An international flight attendant has a very rich opportunity to travel the world. Of all the countries, there are only six without airports! Of course, this is an oversimplification. However, the fact remains that flight attendants make numerous stops and they can take their time—whenever they can—to learn more about that particular place’s culture and people.
Of course, it’s not all about the glitz and glamour, and perhaps, it never was about the perks to begin with. Becoming a flight attendant is a serious vocation and involves a lot of training.
If you are in the BC area, check out the flight attendant programs offered by Eton College Canada. These carefully prepared and administered flight attendant training programs are important for one to become a well-rounded professional in the skies.
Flight attendant certificate programs are available for those interested to take up the challenge of becoming a flight attendant or those interested in change of careers.
Data Sources:
The Dream of Flight. The Library of Congress. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/dreamofflight/dream-dream.html
Who Invented the Kite? Wonderopolis. Retrieved from https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/who-invented-the-kite
Flying Machine. Leonardo Da Vinci Inventions. Retrieved from https://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/flying-machine
Blaszczak-Boxe, A. (2015, January 24) Facts about Hydrogen. Live Science. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/28466-hydrogen.html
Crouch, T. Inflation of First Hydrogen Balloon, by J. A. C. Charles. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved from https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/inflation-first-hydrogen-balloon-j-c-charles/nasm_A20000463000
First Human Flying Machines. Birth of Aviation. Retrieved from http://www.birthofaviation.org/first-human-flying-machines/
The Airplane: What Would Modern Life Be Without It? (2015, October 30) Airline Geeks. Retrieved from https://airlinegeeks.com/2015/10/30/the-airplane-what-would-modern-life-be-without-it/
Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates globe. (2021, September 7) History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/magellans-expedition-circumnavigates-globe
What does a flight attendant do? Career Explorer. Retrieved from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/flight-attendant/
Five Reasons why: Flight Attendant. The Good Universities Guide. Retrieved from https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/education-blogs/career-guidance/five-reasons-why-flight-attendant
Galka, M. (2016, May 18) 24 hours of global air traffic in 4 seconds. Metrocosm. Retrieved from http://metrocosm.com/global-air-traffic-map/
Welsch, S. (2021, January 4) How Many Airports Are There in the World? Flight Compensation. Retrieved from https://euflightcompensation.com/how-many-airports-are-there-in-the-world/
Laliberte, M. (2017, December 8) Only 6 countries in the world don’t have any airports — here’s how you get there instead. Reader’s Digest. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/only-6-countries-in-the-world-dont-have-any-airports-heres-how-you-get-there-instead-2017-12
Potter, E. (2014, July 23) Five myths about flight attendants. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2014/07/23/5-myths-about-flight-attendants/12965715/
