The Sky's the Limit When it Comes to a Dream

The Sky's the Limit When it Comes to a Dream Samantha Burkart St. Petersburg Catholic High School 29 September 2015 Burkart 1 The Sky's the Limit W...
Author: Julianna Potter
26 downloads 0 Views 72KB Size
The Sky's the Limit When it Comes to a Dream

Samantha Burkart St. Petersburg Catholic High School 29 September 2015

Burkart 1 The Sky's the Limit When it Comes to a Dream It all begins with a dream: a dream to discover a new world, a dream to end violence, a dream to make a difference; the list goes on and on. But where exactly do these dreams come from? In a person's mind, yes, but deeper than that. Dreams stem from hopes and intentions. Every great idea begins with the seed of a dream or a vision that gradually sprouts into a plan of action, and then transforms into something incredible. Tony Jannus, the man that revolutionized the commercial airline industry, had a dream and did something with it. January 1st, 1914 was not only the first day of the new year, but also the day that Tony Jannus made history. Almost half of the city's population gathered in anticipation and excitement to witness the very first scheduled commercial flight. With bands playing, pictures being taken, and people cheering, Jannus gave a final wave to the lively crowd and took off over the waters of St. Petersburg, Florida (Flank). Twenty-one miles and twenty-three minutes later, he and his first passenger, Mayor Abe Pheil, landed in Tampa. He did it. Tony Jannus successfully flew the world's first scheduled commercial flight. Although it attracted a lot of local attention, this flight was only the very beginning of what was to come ("History: Tony Jannus"). Jannus's audacious accomplishment had a domino effect, not only on the people of Tampa and St. Petersburg, but on the rest of the country. The idea of commercial aviation transformed the ability to travel and see the world. Gone were the days of spending hours on a railroad or riding an idle steamboat to get somewhere; with flight, the sky was the limit (“Transportation History”). Popularity for air travel immediately began to soar. The next day following the flight, the main headline for the Tampa Tribune read “First Commercial Air Ship Line in World

Burkart 2 Inaugurated” (Glines). It was official; the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line was ready for business. Within hours of opening the first line for sales, all of the plane tickets were completely sold out (“The 100 Year”). People were so incredibly eager to test out the unfamiliar form of transportation for themselves. Flying across the state, or even country, in a matter of hours was unheard of. This instant fondness for flight just proved that a successful air travel market was at the tip of the city’s fingers, just waiting to be expanded. Back then, commercial aviation was on a roll. Today, the market is even bigger than before and just keeps getting better and better. Florida’s economy continues to prosper, thanks to our number one industry: tourism. With over 94 million visitors per year, our state's airlines are constantly working behind the scenes to transport countless tourists. Florida isn’t the only one feeling the effects of Tony Jannus’s flight however. Globally, the impact of his contribution has spread to cities, states, and countries all around the world (Satchell). Travel by air is now the number one choice of transportation today. The aviation industry brings in over $160 billion dollars in revenue and is expected to double in size over the next 10-15 years (Henckles). In addition to profit, the industry creates a variety of jobs, further boosting the economy. Who would’ve guessed that Tony Jannus’s initial, twenty-one mile flight could impact the world in such an incredible way? Tony Jannus, himself, and his accomplishments are recognized as the catalyst to commercial air travel. Today, the Tony Jannus Award, in turn, recognizes a number of individuals that have also demonstrated “extraordinary accomplishments in the field of commercial aviation.” Over the course of 50 years, a total of fifty-four recipients have earned this award (“History: Tony Jannus”). One person in particular, Colleen C. Barret, has been the only woman,

Burkart 3 so far, to receive this honor. Although the airline industry is mostly male-dominated, Barret’s tenacious and creative character led her to be named the highest-ranking female in the U.S. airlines industry. Her contributions to aviation include reassuring and safeguarding passengers during the 9/11 crisis, having a noble and effective work ethic, and contributing to the expansion of women in aviation. Throughout the years, she, as the President and Corporate Secretary for Southwest Airlines, has been dedicated to ensuring the continued growth of the company through hard work and leadership (“Biography”). Her notable performance is just one of many examples of how a passion for aviation, exemplified by Tony Jannus, lives on today. On top of the countless people and businesses that Tony Jannus has touched, his legacy influences and affects me too. The daring vigor accompanying him on his adventures flying inspires me to also embrace that attitude when chasing my dreams. I, myself, personally love seeing new places and exploring different areas. Being an avid traveler, an adventurous spirit is just an innate part of me. The luxury and ease of air transportation nowadays is extremely convenient and I've been fortunate enough to experience it first-hand, both in the states and out of the country. It never really occurred to me before, but after learning about Tony Jannus and his contribution, I discovered that a career in aviation just might be the right one for me. It would combine my love for travel and exploration with a fearless spirit, just like he had. Although, I am still not a hundred percent sure of what I would like to do in my future, I will always keep the door open to new possibilities, just as Jannus did. Back then, Tony Jannus had two things: a dream and a daring spirit. Together, those things revolutionized the world of commercial aviation. As seen today, the effects of his contribution are unending. Thousands of people fly everyday, millions of dollars are brought in

Burkart 4 with tourism and trade, and hundreds of jobs currently operate. All of these are a part of everyday life and embody one aspect of flight or another. Even his spirit lives on in modern achievers of aviation. Without Tony Jannus to take a leap of courage and do the unthinkable, would we be where we are today? His accomplishments are extraordinary, but what’s most important to remember is: it all began with a dream.

Works Cited

"Biography: Colleen C. Barret." (n.d.): n. pag. Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Flank, Lenny. "The First Passenger Airliner: The Benoist XIV and the St Pete-Tampa Airboat Line." Daily Kos. N.p., 29 July 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Glines, C.V. "St. PetersburgTampa Airboat Line: World's First Scheduled Airline Using Winged Aircraft." HistoryNet. HistoryNet, 12 June 2006. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Henckles, Eric. "Airline Industry Overview." Airline Industry Overview (n.d.): 1-25. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. "History: Tony Jannus- A Enduring Legacy of Aviation." Tony Janus-Distinguished Aviation Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Satchell, Arlene. "Florida Sees Record Tourism in 2013." SunSentinel. SunSentinel, 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. "The 100 Year Anniversary of Scheduled Passenger Airline Service." Tampa Pix. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. "Transportation History." America on the Move. National Museum of American History, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.