US Aviation progress under the Crown?

[Dan Reno]

On this Independence Day, I wonder what more or less would have occurred in aviation had the US still been under English control. Would technology have stalled, increased and more money been available? Would Russians such as Sikorsky came here or would he have had the same ability and freedom to experiment in Europe? A lot of "What ifs"! All the Best to our rotored friends across the pond and the same to those on our mainland! Keep the shiny side up when flying and driving this memorable day!

[handysnaks]

The Wright brothers would still be waiting an exemption from the authority.:p

(Only joking the authority!!;))

[HELOFAN]

Dunno, look at the Aussies , they are/were under the crown, they followed the FAA , then decided to reinvent the AIR SAFETY wheel , lost everyone , got everyone back then decided to make their own rules again so it suited them......but ask the pilots and seems they liked it just as it was in the first place ?

HF

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Well, a lot of technology might have stayed in the countries it was invented in and brought wealth there and Concorde might have reached its true potential had the protectionist US not boycotted it because Boeing couldn't match the capability:)

[Barndweller]

And the British (note British - not "english" please!) would have broken the sound barrier with the technology we developed instead of having to hand it over to the "septics"as "re-payment" after a war that the americans deliberatly manipulated to bankrupt the British empire!!!! Has anyone ever notice the similarity between the X1 and the M1 that we were buliding???
Stands Back...

[Bravo73]

<snip>after a war that the americans deliberatly manipulated to bankrupt the British empire!!!!


Awesome. That must be the conspiracy theory to beat all conspiracy theories! ;)

[ericferret]

The comment on the X1, Miles M1 is accurate. Miles were forced to hand over their supersonic expertise as part of a technology exchange. The Americans then reneged on the deal and refused to reciprocate claiming their technology was a state secret!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Their is no doubt that Miles were screwed and would have been first through the sound barrier if the government had given them the support they deserved.

A huge amount of American post WW2 technology was stolen from the Germans. Radar, jet engine technology, swing wings, ejection seats, etc etc etc all came from the UK.

[Dan Reno]

Sounds like a bit of sour grapes here.

Bandweller; Is this like calling Americans Yanks? Is saying English disrespectful? BTW, I have no qualms about Brits calling me a Yank.

I guess the main question to the "They stole this or that from us" theme here is "What did the patent courts say about all this technology stolen from afar?"

Is the atmosphere or environment in Europe not friendly to inventiveness or entrepreneurial expression? If not, come on over here and give it your best shot then!

I recall a CEO once saying when they asked him about hiring minorities or woman; "Any business wanting to make money could care less about a person's gender or skin color as long as they were the best. In fact, if the best was green with antennas protruding from it's head then I'd be a fool not to hire "it" and my shareholders should rightfully have me fired!"
(Lots of applause at that meeting)

Is the British and/or Europeon socialist mindset holding back good people and ideas? Or is is it simply the "Not for profit" govt aviation engineers are not motivated enough?

Cheers! (I'm trying)

[Whirlygig]

Is this like calling Americans Yanks. Is saying English disrespectful

Not exactly Dan. I am British but I am not English! Britain comprises England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands having a strange status!!).

Therefore, do not call a Scotsman, a Welshman or an Irishman "English" as they are not English. They are, however, British.

This is an issue of factual accuracy whereas calling Americans "Yanks" or "septics" is more derogatory. :}

Cheers

Whirls

[Dan Reno]

I'm 59 and still learning! Thanks!

[murdock]

I dont think you would want to call an Irishman "British".
This is my understanding of all that stuff:
Great Britain - England, Scotland, Wales
United Kingdon(UK) England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland (not the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands)
British Islands - United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
British Isles - Britain, Ireland and many smaller surrounding islands

So in a sense, one could say an Irishman is rom the British Isles - but call one British and I imagine you will get a good reaction.

Its funny, that those from Europe use Yank as a general slang term. Whereas in the States, those Americans from the South, use Yank as a pretty strong derogatory term for those Americans from the Northern States. I remember working in the South once and getting a nasty phone call once from a very friendly gentleman who threatened to shoot me down with his rifle. "You aint from round here, are ya boy?" "Nope!", I replied. "I knew it, ya goddamn Yankee!" lol - very entertaining, asides from the fact he wanted to shoot me!