Here
is a beautiful FDC from Pakistan. It is a lovely cover issued on the
centenary celebrations of the First Powered Flight in 2003. 2003
marked a historic year in aviation. On 17 December 1903, the sands of
Kitty Hawk, North California witnessed a breathtaking spectacle
in human history. On this epoch-making date, a 100 years ago, two
brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, stunned the world by staging a
successful flight in their first piloted biplane. Their intense
preoccupation with flying was fuelled not by economic
necessity but mostly from their imaginative determination to
cross one of the last technological barriers to human
flight-stability in the air. The event changed the course of history.
The year 2003 therefore was a year to celebrate the past and
embrace the future.
At
the dawn of the centennial year of powered flight on 17
December 2003, aviation technology has traversed a long
distance, interspersed with phenomenal strides, over the past
one hundred years. This is true of all kinds of
aviation-commercial, general , military and space-focused. In just 100
years man has progressed from those first hesitant hops to
conquering the globe and beyond it into space. Distances have
amazingly shrunk, and man has already stepped on the moon.
Every place on earth is now only hours away-rather than weeks
or months before the aeroplane. The story of the preceding
century is one of unceasing innovation, vision and outstanding
courage in unlocking the secrets of flight and extending the boundaries
of performance.
Air
power, it appears, has acquired for itself the mantle of
authority to fulfill the prophecies of its ardent advocates
like Glulo Douhet, and perhaps exceeds his vision of the potential
of air bombardment. Winston Churchill, minced no words in
acknowledging the role of air power when he stated:
"For
good or ill, air mastery is today the supreme expression of
military power. And fleets and armies, however necessary and
important must accept subordinate rank. This is a memorable
milestone in the march of man."
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of powered flight, 2
x commemorative postage stamps were issued by Pakistan Post
which reflect its deep sense of belonging to this historic moment. The
set is one of my personal favorites. I absolutely love them.
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