Seagull

Some people refer to seagulls and pigeons as "flying rats." When I was in boot camp in the US Navy, we noticed that on days the galley served chicken there were less seagulls on the parade ground that day.

The problem is birds like seagulls inspired DeVinci. They inspired Otto Lilienthal, the German researcher, that dreamed of manned flight and inspired the Wright Brothers. The Wright Brothers inspired generations of aviators including me. I taught for ten years because I was sharing something I love. Last week sitting in the pilot's seat of the Hughes HK-1, The Spruce Goose was a dream.

The dream was 50 years in the making.