Frank Coffyn at an early exhibition
Image credit: The Empire State Aerosciences Museum

Playing the role of the aviator

One of the enduring images of the early aviators, with the Wrights themselves as a notable exception, is of the daredevil tempting fate in his flying machine. This role seems to have developed spontaneously as the first aviators developed quickly as both pilots and showmen. Indeed, the most prevalent use of the airplane in its early days was for demonstration and entertainment, and the pilots eagerly thrilled the crowds with their seemingly dangerous stunts.

The truth is that many of the pilots were cautious, dedicated professionals who continued in long careers in aviation, or retired early, weary of the show circuit. Either way, the romantic figure of the dashing and daring flyer remained, and was enhanced by both documentary and fictional films. Newsreels depicted heroic records being shattered, races being won, and grisly, tragic crashes. Studio films offered much the same, with a finely crafted romantic subplot for extra drama.

Despite the exaggerations and skewed representations of flying in many of these early films, they helped to introduce the airplane to the public and inspire the continued development of aviation beyond entertainment. Motion pictures were distributed far more widely and reached more people than the actual exhibition flights ever could. The long standing relationship between the movies and flying was set.