Felicia Tang "It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Aviation!" - Informative Speaking - Nationals 2019

Summary

This speech delves into the history and physics of aviation, from ancient myths to modern marvels. It highlights the Wright brothers' pioneering flight and the dual-use of aviation in both warfare and humanitarian efforts. The speaker reflects on the tragic misuse of aviation in terror and war, yet celebrates its power to connect and save lives, sharing a personal story of refuge and opportunity.

Takeaways

• 😄 The speaker's brother inspired a competitive spirit in him, leading to the creation of the perfect paper plane.
• 📚 The history of aviation dates back to mythological times, with the story of Daedalus and Icarus symbolizing humanity's desire to fly.
• 🚀 The Wright brothers achieved the first sustained powered and controlled airplane flight in 1903, marking a significant milestone in aviation history.
• ✈️ Aviation was quickly weaponized during World War 1, demonstrating the dual-use nature of technological advancements.
• 💥 The deployment of the B-29 Superfortress in 1945 showcased the destructive power of aviation in warfare.
• 🛫 The Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949 highlighted aviation's role in humanitarian aid and the geopolitical significance of air transport.
• 🔍 The four fundamental forces of flight are push, lift, drag, and gravity, which are essential to understanding how aircraft fly.
• 📐 Daniel Bernoulli's principle explains how the shape of an aircraft's wings generates lift through differences in air pressure.
• 🚗 The comparison of a Volkswagen Beetle to an aircraft wing illustrates the concept of lift due to shape and speed.
• 🚀 Rockets operate on the principle of exhaust gases providing thrust, similar to how aviation utilizes the forces of flight.
• 🌐 The speaker emphasizes the duality of aviation, which can be both a tool for destruction and a means of connection and salvation.
• 💔 The speaker's personal story connects the power of aviation to his family's escape from Cambodia, demonstrating its life-changing potential.

Q & A

What is the historical significance of the story of Daedalus and Icarus in relation to aviation?

The story of Daedalus and Icarus from Greek mythology is significant as it represents the earliest known concept of human flight. Daedalus crafted wings for himself and his son Icarus to escape a labyrinth, emphasizing the human desire and ingenuity to achieve flight, despite Icarus's tragic end due to flying too close to the Sun.

Who were the Wright brothers and what did they achieve in the field of aviation?

The Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, were American inventors and pioneers of aviation who achieved the first sustained powered and controlled airplane flight in 1903. They were inspired by the flight of birds and their success marked the beginning of modern aviation.

How did the Wright brothers' inspiration from birds influence their invention?

The Wright brothers studied the flight of birds, even sitting on one to observe its movements closely. This understanding of how birds fly helped them design their aircraft, contributing to their successful invention of the first powered airplane.

What is the significance of the B-29 Superfortress in aviation history?

The B-29 Superfortress is significant as it was the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb during World War II, on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This event demonstrated the immense destructive power that aviation could wield and its potential for large-scale devastation.

How did aviation play a role in the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949?

During the Berlin Airlift, the United States and its allies used aviation to deliver food, water, and supplies to West Berlin, which was blockaded by the Soviet Union. This massive airlift showcased the humanitarian and strategic uses of aviation in providing essential aid.

What are the four forces that allow an aircraft to fly?

The four forces that allow an aircraft to fly are thrust (push), lift, drag, and gravity. Thrust propels the plane forward, lift counteracts gravity to keep the plane in the air, and drag is the resistance the plane encounters while moving through the air.

What is the Bernoulli principle and how does it relate to lift in aviation?

The Bernoulli principle, formulated by Daniel Bernoulli, states that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure. In aviation, this principle explains how the shape of an aircraft's wings allows for faster air movement over the top of the wing, creating lower pressure compared to the slower-moving air underneath, thus generating lift.

How does the shape of a car, like the Volkswagen Beetle, relate to lift at high speeds?

The curved shape of the Volkswagen Beetle can create lift at high speeds, similar to how an aircraft wing generates lift. As the car travels at high velocities, the air pressure difference created by its shape can cause the car to lift off the ground.

What is the dual nature of aviation as presented in the script?

The dual nature of aviation refers to its ability to both connect and devastate. On one hand, aviation has been used for humanitarian purposes, such as airlifting supplies and people to safety. On the other hand, it has been weaponized, leading to destruction and loss of life, as seen in warfare and terrorist attacks.

How did aviation impact the speaker's personal life and family history?

The speaker's father was a Cambodian refugee who, along with his family, was airlifted to safety from Cambodia to a refugee camp in Thailand during the Khmer Rouge regime. This flight to freedom ultimately led to the speaker's father immigrating to America, highlighting the positive impact of aviation in providing opportunities for a new life.

What is the speaker's perspective on the future of aviation and its potential?

The speaker views aviation as a symbol of human achievement and potential, capable of doing the unimaginable. Despite its history of being weaponized, the speaker emphasizes the positive aspects of aviation, such as connecting people and providing life-saving opportunities, and encourages us not to let its tragic uses overshadow its virtues.

Outlines

00:00

🛫 The Journey of Aviation

The speaker, code one nine nine, shares a personal story of sibling rivalry in paper airplane competitions, which led to a deep dive into understanding aviation. The narrative explores the history of human fascination with flight, from the myth of Daedalus and Icarus to the Wright brothers' first powered flight. It touches on the early 20th-century developments, the weaponization of aviation in World War 1, and its role in significant historical events like the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Berlin Airlift. The speaker emphasizes the dual nature of aviation, highlighting both its destructive and connective capabilities.

05:02

🚀 The Physics of Flight

This section delves into the physics behind aviation, explaining the four forces that enable flight: push, lift, drag, and gravity. The speaker uses the example of a Volkswagen Beetle to illustrate the concept of lift and compares it to the functioning of rockets. The Bernoulli principle is introduced to explain how air pressure differences create lift. The speaker also discusses the societal impact of aviation, noting its role in both warfare and humanitarian efforts, and reflects on the complex nature of human innovation and its potential for both good and harm.

10:02

🌏 The Duality of Aviation

The final paragraph discusses the duality of aviation, highlighting its potential for both destruction and connection. The speaker recounts the story of their father's escape from Cambodia to America, symbolized by an airplane that represented hope and opportunity. The narrative emphasizes the transformative power of aviation, which has enabled medical airlifts, firefighting efforts, and the honoring of veterans, as well as the darker side of its use in warfare and terrorism. The speaker concludes by celebrating the incredible achievements of human flight, despite its complex and sometimes tragic history.

Keywords

💡Aviation

Aviation refers to the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. In the video, it is the central theme, encompassing the historical development, technological advancements, and the dual nature of aviation's impact on humanity. The script discusses the mythological roots of human fascination with flight, the Wright brothers' pioneering work, and the modern implications of aviation in both warfare and humanitarian efforts.

💡Competition

Competition in this context is a driving force that propels individuals to excel, as illustrated by the speaker's personal story of rivalry with his brother in creating the best paper airplanes. It is a metaphor for the broader human endeavor to conquer the skies, reflecting the spirit of innovation and the relentless pursuit of improvement that characterizes the field of aviation.

💡Daedalus and Icarus

Daedalus and Icarus are figures from Greek mythology who represent the human desire to fly. In the script, their story is used to draw a parallel with the historical and mythological fascination with flight, highlighting the risks of hubris and the eternal allure of taking to the skies. Icarus' fall serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of flying too close to the sun, symbolizing the perils of unbridled ambition in the realm of aviation.

💡Wright Brothers

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, are celebrated as pioneers of aviation, credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful motor-operated airplane. Their story in the script exemplifies the spirit of innovation and the practical application of studying nature, such as observing birds in flight, to achieve a significant breakthrough in human flight.

💡Physics

Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion, and behavior through space and time, and its related concepts of energy and force. In the context of the video, physics is crucial to understanding the principles that allow flight, such as lift, drag, and gravity. The script explains how these forces interact to enable an object, like a paper airplane, to fly.

💡Lift

Lift is a force that is produced by the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of a wing. It is a fundamental concept in aerodynamics and is essential for flight. The script describes how lift is generated by the shape of an aircraft's wings, with faster-moving air over the top creating lower pressure compared to the slower-moving air underneath, resulting in an upward force.

💡Drag

Drag is the force that opposes an object's motion through a fluid, such as air. In the script, drag is presented as a force that works against lift and, in conjunction with gravity, slows down an aircraft. Understanding and minimizing drag is critical in the design of efficient aircraft.

💡Daniel Bernoulli

Daniel Bernoulli was a Swiss mathematician and physicist known for his work in fluid dynamics, particularly the Bernoulli principle, which describes how the speed of a fluid is related to its pressure. In the video, his principle is used to explain the generation of lift in aircraft wings, which is a key concept in understanding how airplanes achieve flight.

💡Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was an American aviation pioneer and author who became the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The script references her to emphasize the allure and beauty of flying, as well as to acknowledge the historical significance of her contributions to aviation and the broader cultural impact of flight.

💡Humanitarian Aid

Humanitarian aid refers to the assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, often during crises. In the script, the speaker mentions how aviation has been used to deliver food, water, and supplies during the Berlin Airlift, showcasing the positive and life-saving applications of aviation technology beyond its military uses.

💡Globalization

Globalization is the process of increased interconnectedness and interdependence among countries, which has been facilitated in part by advancements in transportation, including aviation. The script touches on the positive aspects of globalization enabled by aviation, such as the movement of people and resources, but also raises questions about the costs and consequences of this interconnectedness.

💡Duality

Duality in the script refers to the two-sided nature of aviation, highlighting both its capacity to connect and its potential to cause destruction. The speaker reflects on how aviation has been used for both benevolent purposes, like the examples of airlifting patients and refugees, and for destructive ends, such as in warfare and terrorism.

Highlights

Competitive paper plane making as a childhood activity

Years of perfecting the art of paper plane design

The historical roots of aviation in the myth of Daedalus and Icarus

Wilbur and Orville Wright's pioneering and inspiration from birds

The Wright brothers' first sustained powered and controlled airplane flight in 1903

Aviation's weaponization during World War I

The use of aviation in warfare, exemplified by the B-29 Superfortress and atomic bombings

The Berlin Airlift as a demonstration of aviation's humanitarian use

The four forces of flight: push, lift, drag, and gravity

Daniel Bernoulli's principle explaining lift generation

The analogy of a Volkswagen Beetle to illustrate lift

The physics of rocket propulsion and achieving orbit

The duality of aviation: from beauty to destruction

Amelia Earhart's perspective on the allure of aviation

The impact of aviation on global terrorism and its tragic consequences

Aviation's positive role in connecting people and saving lives

The personal story of the speaker's father escaping Cambodia and the significance of aviation

The transformative power of aviation and its potential for good and evil

The speaker's reflection on the complex nature of aviation and its impact on humanity

Transcripts

our next speaker is code one nine nine

it's a bird it's a plane it's aviation

[Applause]

my brother and I are pretty competitive

we used to have these competitions to

see who could make the best and fastest

flying planes and he would always win

you know when I just it got to this

point where I became desperate to find

out how he was doing it so I spent years

secretly perfecting my craft mastering

every fold creasing

and after many trials and many errors I

developed the perfect paper plane

Aviation how things fly today let's

first explore the history of aviation

next we will learn about the physics

behind it before finally understanding

the duality of aviation and its ability

to connect people the idea of aviation

has existed since mythological times the

story of Daedalus an Athenian craftsman

and his son Icarus highlights our innate

obsession with flying basically Icarus

and his father Daedalus found themselves

imprisoned in a little pickle called the

labyrinth but de talus being a brilliant

craftsman made a pair of wings out of

wood glue and feathers

he told Icarus not to fly too close to

the Sun or his wings would melt but

Icarus was like you know what dad I

believe I can fly I believe I can touch

the sky yeah and then his wings melted

and he fell to his death

though the story of Icarus is compelling

the first real-life flying device wasn't

actually built until the early 20th

century inventors and pioneers of

aviation Wilbur and Orville Wright were

brothers who achieved the first

sustained powered and controlled

airplane flight in 1903 in fact they

were inspired by birds and even went as

far as to sit on a bird to study flight

the bird they sat on is currently on

display at the National Air and Space

Museum in Washington DC just 11 years

following the Wright brothers success

aviation was weaponized by the Axis

powers in World War 1 surprise surprise

mankind figured out how to fly and the

first thing we did was strap a machine

gun on it so we could kill each other

more effectively nonetheless the

advancements made during World War one

helped pave the way for a new era of

flight warfare in August of 1945 the

United States deployed the b-29

Superfortress the first aircraft to drop

an atomic bomb the cities of Hiroshima

and Nagasaki were near completely

destroyed and the extent of the effects

of this action is still unknown however

it demonstrated the possibilities of how

our nation's resources could be

mobilized when the Soviet Union blocked

all land routes into West Berlin the

United States sent a massive airlift of

food water and supplies for a year this

back-and-forth relationship of using

aviation to destroy our enemies then to

send aid to our allies still exists

today thanks to these advancements we

are now able to understand how aviation

works let me break it down for you there

are four forces that allow something to

fly push lift drag and gravity when you

throw a paper plane into the air you're

giving it a push to move forward as the

plane is moving forward air moving over

and on

the wings are providing an upward lift

lift allows a plane to fly at the same

time air pushing back against the plane

is creating a drag force working with

gravity to slow it down Swiss

mathematician and physicist Daniel

Bernoulli came up with the principle

that helps determine how the shape of an

aircraft's wings or propellers generate

lift their curved over the tops of the

air moves faster and flat on the bottom

so that air moves slower fast-moving air

equals low air pressure while

slow-moving air equals high air pressure

the result lift to better illustrate

this concept let's use cars if you drive

a Volkswagen Beetle at the speed of a

hundred miles per hour the car will

begin to lift this is due to its

infamous curved shape okay watch this

[Applause]

have you ever noticed what happens when

you let the air out of a balloon the air

moves in one direction while the balloon

moves in the other rockets work in the

same way exhaust gas is coming out of

the engine nozzle give the rocket a push

to move upwards once the rocket is

traveling at a speed of 28,000

kilometres per hour it's going fast

enough to enter orbit according to what

canvas forms calm when participants of a

study were asked what they would choose

if they could have any superpower the

number one choice wasn't flying but the

number two choice was why you see ever

since we could comprehend it humans have

been fixated on this idea of taking

flight aviation pioneer and American

author

Amelia Earhart once said the lore of

flying is the lore of beauty aviation is

sensational Icarus and the Wright

brothers lived for it and the citizens

of Hiroshima and Nagasaki died from it

the duality of human nature is reflected

upon how we choose to use aviation

every country highlighted in red has

been affected by either drone attacks

air raids missile bombings or flight

enabled terrorist attacks yes we

achieved worldwide globalization but at

what cost

humanity and all of its complex nature

took an idea as simple as what if we

could fly and we turned it into a means

to drop bombs and inflict terror on each

other we bastardized aviation which was

once a symbol of globalism and we turned

it into a symbol of terrorism how we

chose to use this innovation is tragic

but we cannot allow it to corrupt the

virtue of aviation and its ability to

connect people it is because of aviation

that 150 thousand patients are given a

better chance to live after being

airlifted to hospitals each year it is

because of aviation that the California

wildfires can be extinguished helping to

save my home it is because of aviation

that 222 thousand American veterans were

able to visit the Washington DC

memorials

as a reminder that their sacrifice has

not been forgotten and it is because of

aviation that a hundred and fifty eight

thousand Cambodian refugees were granted

safe passage to America

when my father was four years old he

lived with his family in Cambodia under

the hostile Khmer Rouge reign he and his

family were forced to work as slaves on

a farm where due to malnutrition and

being overworked he lost his mother a

grandma who I'd never met when he was 8

years old they had heard of an

opportunity to escape Cambodia to a

refugee camp in Thailand and immediately

seized the opening and after almost a

year of anxious waiting ticket to

freedom had finally arrived in the shape

of a plane this plane would carry my dad

to America it was representative of

opportunity of a chance at a new life

enabling me to be here today to tell his

story there is no question that aviation

has the power to devastate our world

since its creation aviation has been

weaponized and developed into a

dangerous product however the extent of

its capabilities go both ways if you

showed someone from 200 years ago a

modern-day plane they'd insist or magic

and they're not completely wrong I mean

yes aviation is the epitome of

technological progress it can be

explained by physics and perfected to a

science but there is so much more to it

we created something that enables us to

do the unimaginable humans did not come

into this world with a gift of flight

but look at us now

we're soaring

[Applause]