On the evening of 27th April, 2016, Professor Tan Zhiming of Tongji University was invited to give students the lecture of “History of Air Transportation”.
Began with the most familiar and simplest transportation to us in our life, Prof. Tan briefly introduced the main features of air transportation. He pointed out that some political factors are included in air transportation besides some well-known features, such as fast and safe. Then he underlined the history of air transportation. Since the first application of balloon in Franco-Prussian War in 1871, due to the request of postal service, passenger transport and airship transportation, air transportation developed gradually and the safety and performance of airplane was improved remarkably. Therefore, the freight volume of air transportation and the degree of relying to air transportation increased step by step. In our country, first domestic route was open in 1920. However, annual passenger transportation volume once dropped severely because of the military control in 1960s. The rank fell to the same level with Malaysia from No. 1, then the freight volume rose back to the second place in Asia.
Next, in terms of the origin of invention of plane, the application of plane in its early stage in the war, the prosperity of civil plane, Prof. Tan explain the process of the development of plane, from the easy to the difficult and complicated. At the same time, he took examples of aircraft instrument and engine in a humorous way, as well as the mechanism of turbo-jet and ramjet engine.
At last, Prof. Tan talked about the reason and form of air traffic control as well as the transformation from control to management, and the trend of its development. He also introduced how the airport developed from nearly circle in early stage to a shape of circle, then to a popular format. He stressed the requests and effects of airport for environment.
In the phase of interaction, Prof. Tan answered students with his professional knowledge and rich experience to the question of Malaysia Airline Event two year ago. He also elaborated his views of similar accidents happening in China.
The whole lecture hall was occupied and was full of laughing and applause. Prof. Tan’s humorous words and precise explanation greatly motivated students. Students interacted with Prof. Tan frequently in a warm atmosphere. This lecture provided students with knowledge of air transportation and their horizons were broadened.
(Article: Wu Hao (student) Photograph: Wang Bin Date: 29th April, 2016)