Kudala Kufunwa Ngamehlw’ Amnyama Ukuhamba Emoyeni
“IINQWELO-MOYA xa zizonke, zikhawuleza zisikhumbuze amazwi omlisela nomthinjana athi, ‘Akukho nto inyuka ingabuyeli ezantsi.’”
Watsho njalo umhleli weThe New York Times kaMeyi 25, 1908 xa wayegabul’ izigcawu, phofu ingqondo yakhe ithath’ ibeka—ngelo xesha ke yayingekapheli iminyaka emihlanu emva kokuba oonyana bakwaWright benze inqwelo-moya eyaba yindumasi eKitty Hawk, kuMntla Carolina, eUnited States. Engekayiginyi ncam into yokukhuseleka kohambo “ngeenqwelo-moya” ezazisele zithand’ ukuxhaphaka esibhakabhakeni, lo mbhali wazixelela into yokuba “bambalwa kuthi abanokude bafune ukuhamba emoyeni kude lee nomhlaba.” Nangona wayevumelana nelokuba izizukulwana ezizayo zisenokudumb’ intloko kukuhamba emoyeni, umbhali weli nqaku wema ngelokuba “amahash’ angaphum’ iimpondo . . . xa kunokubakho iinqwelo-moya ezihamba umgama omde ezithwala abantu.”
Kwathi kanti akachananga! Kunamhlanje nje bangaphezu kwewaka lezigidi abantu abathuthwa “ziinqwelo-moya ezihamba umgama omde” nyaka ngamnye. Ewe, kwisithuba nje senkulungwane, ezaa nqwelo-moya zazenziwe ngamaplanga nje awohlo-wohlo ekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane sele zitshintshe zaba nobuxhaka-xhaka nobucukubhede bekhompyutha xa kungoku, zikwazi ke nokushiy’ umhlaba kangangeekhilomitha ezilishumi, yaye zithwele amakhulukhulu abantu abaya kumazwe akude bethe zava nakwimozulu ebalungeleyo.
Uqhwanya nje wenkqubela kubugcisa bezokuhamba ngomoya kule nkulungwane yama-20 ngokwenene wenze izinto zamehlo yaye ulitshintshe tu kwaphela ihlabathi. Eneneni, imbali yokufuna kwabantu ukusenz’ esabo isibhakabhaka isusela kwisithuba esingaphezu kwamashumi ambalwa eminyaka edluleyo—okanye kwiinkulungwane ezimbalwa ezidluleyo. Abantu bebesoloko bekufuna ngamehlw’ amnyama ukuhamba emoyeni ukususela mandulo phayaa.
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ILockheed SR-71 Blackbird, enesona santya siphakamileyo ehlabathini seekhilomitha ezingama-3 540 ngeyure
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IBoeing Stratoliner 307, c. yowe-1940, ethwala abantu abangama-33, enesantya seekhilomitha ezingama-346 ngeyure
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Boeing Company Archives
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“IFlyer” yoonyana bakwaWright, yowe-1903
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U.S. National Archives photo