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#What did people use before there were bathrooms on the planes?
Flying has become a normal part of our everyday lives in the last few decades — even though it’s said that only five percent of the global population has ever been on an airplane. We don’t usually give it much thought, as long as we get safely to our destination. It’s a fascinating business, however, and we’d like to share with you a couple of the most interesting and fun facts about planes and flying.
#1 What navigation lights do airplanes use?
Airplanes use the same navigation lights as ships and boats — Shutterstock
Aircraft share the same navigation lights to water vessels, from tiny fishing boats to large container ships. You can find a red (port) light on the left wing and a green (starboard) light on the right wing to signal which way the plane is positioned.
Interestingly, the word “port” was only used after 1844 when the Royal Navy adopted it in place of the word “larboard”. One would have thought that the common sense to avoid confusion would have come about earlier!
There’s also a white flashing light to signal that the aircraft is on the move, similar to hovercraft or hydrofoils on water which display a flashing yellow light to emphasize the high speed at which the crafts travel.
#2 When did commercial flying start?
On New Year’s Day of 1914, the first scheduled passenger airline took its maiden flight. The route was a 34km hop across Tampa Bay in Florida, and the first passenger was the mayor of St Petersburg, Abram C. Pheil aboard a flying boat.
#3 What is the shortest record commercial transatlantic flight duration?