1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome 2 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: back to the show Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always 3 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: so much for tuning in. This is part two of 4 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: what will be a continuing series. We got very, very 5 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: into the idea, or not into, I don't know, fascinated 6 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: by the idea of inventors who died by their own inventions. 7 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: We thought it would be one episode, it might be 8 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: a series. We thought we would do just one episode 9 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: on all the people who died trying to fly. But 10 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: here we are shout out to super producer Max Williams. 11 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: Here we are an old It's part two. A lot 12 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: of people died trying to fly. Oh yeah, yeah, but 13 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: two also, I would jump in this might be very 14 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: morbid because I've already flown out by on vacation by 15 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 1: this point. So we hope you made it, buddy. Yeah, 16 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: me too. Yeah, don't tie. You're safer than you would 17 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: be in a car. Really, really, do you have a 18 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: statistics about that? Yeah, we'll get to it. The stories 19 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: of people who died trying to fly keep going. I 20 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,639 Speaker 1: want to introduce a tailor to you now, folks. Tailor 21 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: by the name of Franz reiki. He died while testing 22 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: not an airplane but his own invention, which he called 23 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: the coat parachute. He jumped off the first deck of 24 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: the Eiffel Tower. H This guy was fascinated by the 25 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: innovations that he saw in the early days of airplanes 26 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: and being a cool dude. He was also concerned about 27 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: the people in those airplanes. There were a lot of 28 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,839 Speaker 1: crashes back in those days, so he wanted to use 29 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: his tailoring skills to make a you could call it 30 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: a a parachute suit, which is a fun tongue twister. 31 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: Is this like an inspector gadget kind of situation? Like 32 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: like yeah, yeah, it kind of seems like it like 33 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: you pull a string and your trench code in flates 34 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: and you float gently down to the safety. You gotta 35 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: see the photos. Also, I want to jump in here 36 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: because used to the first deck of the tower. So 37 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: I'm sitting here, like how high up is that? And 38 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: from a quick Google search, it's a hundred and eighties 39 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: seven feet, so it's not like he's like five ft 40 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: in the air. He's he's up there. Yeah, that's the 41 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,959 Speaker 1: that's the part of So that's the thing. There were 42 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: already parachutes around. They're what are called fixed canopy paras shoots. 43 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: And there were already parachutes that worked for high altitudes, 44 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: but our guy Franz wanted a parachute that would help 45 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: for people jumping from planes very low altitudes. And he said, look, 46 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: I picture him talking the ear off of his customers 47 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: right at his at his shop, and you know, he's 48 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: he's tailoring somebody's pants. He's adjusting their in seam or whatever, 49 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: and he's saying, you know, I make suits and pants 50 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: for a living, but I'm really in the parachutes. You 51 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: guys in the planes. And next thing you know, that 52 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: poor client is stuck there for thirty minutes while this 53 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: guy tells them all about how these pants would be 54 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: better if they were part of a suit that was 55 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: a parachute. He had a para su there it is, 56 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: so he said, I want something light enough that a 57 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: pilot can wear it without restricting their movement too much. 58 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: But I needed to be durable enough to save that 59 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: pilot's life if they are at a low altitude they 60 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: have to jump out of the plane. How James Bond 61 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: is this? James Bond is going to show up thematically 62 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: later in this episode, as you might imagine, and he 63 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: made these prototypes, and all his prototypes were terrible, Like 64 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: he had dummies, he had mannequins, thank goodness for the 65 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: first few rounds, and they just fell to the ground. 66 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: The parachute wasn't catching enough air. He was notable in 67 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: the public sphere, in the media of the day, and 68 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: he would say things like my invention is like nothing else. 69 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: It's constructed basically half in waterproof fabric and half in 70 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: silk thanks to a system of rods and belts that 71 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: one can control the parachute deploys during a fall, and 72 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 1: we'll save a pilot's life. That's big talk when all 73 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: your dummies are hitting the ground almost immediately. Uh. Not 74 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: to be dissuaded, Franz tried one out himself one of 75 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: his earlier prototypes. He jumped, he pulled, he tried to fly, 76 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: He broke his leg. Yeah, did you ever do that 77 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: thing with the eggs in school? Or you have to 78 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: like keep the eggs from breaking, and they're all you 79 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: could do in any different number of ways, sort of 80 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: like Pinewood Derby style, but like a lot of people 81 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: did parachutes or like you know, different kinds of packing. 82 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 1: But it wasn't easy. It's not easy. Uh. And and 83 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: this guy seems like he went to the human trial 84 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: part of the experiment a little over his zendless thing 85 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: a little too early. I remember in seventh grade doing 86 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: that doing the experiment. Was a couple other classes did it, 87 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: and all the other classes, like teachers got on top 88 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: of like a ladder drop that mine was like a 89 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: gym coach and got off the topic just like would 90 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: chuck him down like full like fourth throw spiking. That's unfair. Yeah, 91 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: he's spiking them from the top of of a ladder. Uh. 92 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: Mine did not make it, by the way, it a 93 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: commitment to the bit, you know what I mean. Like 94 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: it's like I I believe in myself. Um, but yeah, 95 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: I can imagine a lot of those ending in failure. 96 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: What happened here? Then? Oh yeah, So he's convinced it's 97 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: not me that's wronged. He says, it's the way it's 98 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: being tested. What I need to do to make sure 99 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 1: this works is to jump from a higher elevation. That's 100 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 1: the problem. I broke my leg because I wasn't brave enough. 101 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: In an interview before his death, he says the suits 102 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,359 Speaker 1: has not had time to make contact with the air. 103 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: If I had fifty or one d instead of the 104 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: results would be wonderful. I will prove it one day. Uh. 105 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: And something that really changed his mind here, nol or 106 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: something that really, um, I guess compelled him was the 107 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,799 Speaker 1: aero Club de France, who offered a prize of ten 108 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: thousand francs books to anyone who could create a safety 109 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: parachute four aviators that was lightweight. As long as it 110 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: didn't weigh more than and it worked, they would give 111 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: you ten thousand francs. That's why he starts looking at 112 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: the Eiffel Tower and he goes to the police and says, 113 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I made 114 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: this awesome parachute. I need you to let me jump 115 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: off the Eiffel Tower. And of course they say, no, 116 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: you're crazy, that's not gonna work. Yeah, no, we can't 117 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: be held responsible. You know. It's like, do you think 118 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: those like fly guys get permission to to climb their 119 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: way up of buildings or like the dude the tight 120 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: rope walk between the twin towers. Now you're you're doing 121 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: a crime. And the reason is because liability. The people 122 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: can't be held responsible for for the insane daring do 123 00:07:55,640 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: of others. So this always involves some form of dress passing. Uh. 124 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: It's also why, you know, self experimentation is still highly 125 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: controversial and and I think considered pretty unethical, uh, in 126 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: in the medical field and in research. Yes, yeah, no, 127 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: I mean it's true. It's a debate that continues today. 128 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: And like many other people, I love that you mentioned 129 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: the fly guy, our boy Frands decides that maybe it's 130 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: better to play along, Maybe you should have asked forgiveness 131 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: rather than permission. But he badgers the police for an 132 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: entire calendar year, and they finally say, okay, you gotta 133 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: stop coming to the station. We will let you test 134 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: the parachute, so long as you use a dummy or 135 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: mannequin that's roughly human sized. You just can't have a 136 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: living person jump off the Eiffel Tower with your cockamami 137 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,319 Speaker 1: parachute idea. And he says, yeah, absolutely, I get it. 138 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: You know, we are agreed on this. And so around 139 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 1: seven am on February four n he gets journalists, he 140 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: gets cameramen, he gets friends and family to watch him 141 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 1: leap from the Eiffel tower. That's right, him not a dummy. Everybody, literally, 142 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: everybody at the scene told him this was a terrible idea. 143 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: His friends, his family, journalists, a guy who's just working 144 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: security is saying, dude, don't jump, And he said he 145 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: had to. He said, I intend to prove the worth 146 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: of my invention. So one French paper of note La 147 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: Martine observed that reich Helps determination to jump caused ripples 148 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: of unease to to spread throughout the crowd. The papers said, 149 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: quote among the spectators only he seemed happy. Next morning 150 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: there everyone thought he would kill himself. Uh yeah, that's 151 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 1: definitely a jumper type situation. I wish you would step 152 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: back from that ledge, my friend. Please, you're making us 153 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: all really uncomfortable. You could cut ties with whatever, yes 154 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: if you agree. Yeah, that was a golden era of 155 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: overenunciation in rock singing. You know, it's like and if 156 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: you do see me ucky, I mean weird, absurd vowel 157 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: sounds really nonsensical, but yeah, I like I like Noel. 158 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: Noel has a great story. True A third eye blind Cossert, 159 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: which basically saved for a live show show Me Faces 160 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: Franz write, held is is yelling at the crowd from 161 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: the first deck of the Eiffel Tower. No, he's seriously. 162 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: Everybody is telling him this is a bad, bad idea, 163 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: and he says, you are going to see how I'm 164 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: not parachute will give your arguments the most decisive of 165 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: the wrong. I'm gonna do this right right. He's getting 166 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: heckled by people who will hope he is alive tomorrow 167 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 1: and he's not listening. About an hour and twenty two 168 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: minutes pass, so it's am He is stepping up onto 169 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: a small table by the edge of the platform and 170 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: he does this move. This so cinematic. He has a 171 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: newspaper and he rips part of the newspaper and let's 172 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: it fly. And he's watching the wind. He wants to 173 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: see the direction of the wind. Hesitates for a bit, 174 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: and the crowd is thinking, Okay, we talked him down. 175 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: He's not gonna do it, or he's going to use 176 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: a dummy. And he looks at the crowd. We don't 177 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: know exactly what his facial expression is, but he jumps. 178 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: He jumps wearing his parachute, and his parachute folds instantly 179 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: around him. He plummets down to the wrong direction, right 180 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: of course, of course, the wrong direction towards the craft. 181 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: But I mean the parachute deploys what incorrectly When you 182 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: say it folded around him, that just means it didn't 183 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: really deploy properly. It was like exact, did not catch 184 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: the air. Because again I keep coming back to the 185 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 1: image of Inspector Gadget, but it really was a thing 186 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: he used a lot. He had this rip cord. He'd 187 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: pull on his gray, you know, kind of iconic trench coat, 188 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: and then it would it look like he would either inflate, 189 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: which wouldn't make sense unless it was like, you know, airtight. 190 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: Presumably Inspector Gadget was some sort of hybrid robot man 191 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: um cyborg exactly, but I think it really was meant 192 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: to because also I would say that the design of 193 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: Inspector Gadget is based almost entirely on Inspector Clusseau from 194 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: the Pink Panther movies. That the same you know, Fedora, 195 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 1: even like he resembles him, like in the shape of 196 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: his nose and stuff. But I would not be surprised 197 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: if that was a nod to this guy, the Inspector 198 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: Gadget parachute coat. That's an interesting theory. And you know, 199 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: as an eagle scout, I always admired Inspector Gadget. That 200 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: dude was prepared. You know, he was walking the walk, 201 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: maybe in a silly way, but he was also a fool, 202 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: and he he needed his this little niece, Penny and 203 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: her dog to solve his crimes for him from behind 204 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: the scenes. Also love the Penny had this thing that 205 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: she called a computer book, which is now a tablet 206 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: like love Dr Claw. Uh, there is one canonical version 207 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: of claws actual face from an action figure. It was disappointing. No, 208 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: keep the mystery alive. Don't really don't don't know he'll 209 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: be disappointed. You're not gonna like it, alright, Well, uh, 210 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm the crowd at the Eiffel Tower 211 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: and you are you looking for Dr Clau's face is 212 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: like trying to test out your parachute suits. I like it, 213 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: I like it. I don't like it. It's disappointed. He's 214 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: go kind of like a like a uh, what's his name? 215 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: What's that? Director? Jim jarmash kind of hair, he's got this, 216 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: he's got a scar and in his mouth. But I 217 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: always pictured him being an android too, or someone more 218 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: like Memra from from from ThunderCats. So I will say 219 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: based on the voice and based on the mystery, was better. 220 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: But I kind of I dig the I dig this design, 221 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: you know. I I maybe I'm being too hitchcocky and 222 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: maybe I'm saying the imagination is more terrifying than what's 223 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: seen on screen. But if you want to, if you 224 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: want to see a good reveal of an enigmatic villain, 225 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: check out check out Cobra Commander and in the animated 226 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: g I Joe film. Now that was a good reveal. Uh. 227 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: I also bet you this Dr Clauw action figure fetches 228 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: a pretty penny if you have an unopened one, because 229 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: it looks like the boxed version. The face is obscured 230 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: with like a sticker. It says, reveal the mysterious Doctor Claw. 231 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: I just have a feeling that one is not particularly common. 232 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: But let's see. Yeah. Well, one thing we won't find 233 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: is an action figure of our pal Frounds because it 234 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: would be in very poor taste. This is not an 235 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: action figure you want to create. You don't want the 236 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: army man aspect with a parachute because his parachute did 237 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: not work. Noble attempt. It was assured he was, as 238 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: a newspaper of the time wrote, two seconds after he 239 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: jumps in a pitiful wreck, he lay on the icy grass. 240 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: He fell almost standing. Blood trickled through his mouth, nose, 241 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: and ears. His right arm and leg were crushed, his 242 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: skull and back were broken. He died instantly. But don't worry, folks, 243 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: the story goes on. There are some more or brilliant 244 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: people who have died trying to fly. Now there's one 245 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: that we wanted. I was thinking we skip, but uh, 246 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: I had some insider info from our super producer Max. Uh. Max, 247 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: where where are we going with this? You've promised this 248 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: an Easter drag in the notes, So there's actually an 249 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: Easter dragon Scarram. It's in more Wind as well, but 250 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: um Scarum is the one that we're referencing too. So 251 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: you just kind of will be like running through the 252 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: wild of sky Roum and you can happen upon a 253 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: major who is like summoning a spell, and when you're 254 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: close on and he will shoot himself into the air. 255 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: You'll just hear him giggling and celebrating and screaming being like, 256 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: oh my god, that's amazing. I can fly. Kind of 257 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: like a version of that. Yes, I remember this, but 258 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: but but he reaches like the like, you know, the 259 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: peak of his ascent, and then you hear his tone 260 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: kind of change as he starts plummeting back down to 261 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: the ground. Two more of a scream, and then he 262 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: splashed on the ground and dies because he clearly had 263 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: finally figured out how to make himself fly, but he 264 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: had never figure out how to land. Yeah, that's a 265 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 1: big part of it, Like the landing a big part 266 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: of it. He really reminds me a lot of our 267 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: first guy, Ben, you jumped off the mosque. That seems 268 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: like a similar scenario in terms of that a moment, 269 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, everybody's gotten over their head in one 270 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,479 Speaker 1: endeavor or another. Uh, this is uh, let's put on 271 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 1: our car stuff caps really quickly and fast forward to 272 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: the modern day. It's a guy named Henry Smolensky. Henry 273 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: Smolinsky is the type of dude who looks at a 274 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: Ford Pinto and thinks, why the hell isn't this already 275 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: a plane. I don't know if we've all been there, 276 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: but that's where that's where his head's at. Yeah, I 277 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: do feel as though it'd be cool if we were 278 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: in more of like a flying cars era of the future. 279 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: But also, let's just talk about the logistics of that 280 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: seems very unmanageable. I mean, think of all of the 281 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: personnel it takes just to keep flights commercial flights, you know, 282 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: in private planes from crashing into one another, and like 283 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: all of the you know, pomping circumstances around takeoff and landing, 284 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: all of that stuff. If people were just driving flying 285 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 1: cars everywhere, there'd be mid air collisions left to right. 286 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,920 Speaker 1: It'd be a nightmare health game. And I hate to 287 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: say it, man, but I've I had a long standing, 288 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: long standing argument with my good pals Scott Benjamin on 289 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: the show car stuff about everything that floats, fly, swims 290 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: or drives, because Scott was very much against flying cars, 291 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: and I was, to be completely honest, I understood his 292 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: problems with the the idea. He's right, by the way, 293 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: and you're right, noal flying cars on mass or a 294 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: terrible idea. My position was, flying cars are awesome if 295 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 1: I'm the only one who has one, and it's like, 296 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: that's the only realistic way to think about flying can't 297 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: tell anybody. Don't tell anybody, because if people know that 298 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: you have. If people know that Ben has one, then 299 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: then everyone else to know. Well if I had one, 300 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: if I had one, you guys know how I am. 301 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: If I if I had one, then I would try 302 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: to get you guys each. I feel like the four 303 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 1: of us, Max and you KNOWL and me and you listening, 304 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 1: fellow ridiculous historian. I think it's already gone too far. 305 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: It's already got to who's next. Who's next? Well, that's 306 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: the thing. Humans have never been particularly gassed about settling 307 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: on anything. So as soon as the first cars are 308 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: rolling out, the first internal combustion vehicles or are rolling 309 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: out and there becoming a real thing. Instantly people look 310 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 1: at these amazing machines and say, why can't this fly? Uh? 311 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: The fancy name for it is a rotable aircraft. And 312 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 1: we know people have been working on this for a 313 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: while because the first patent for something like a flying 314 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: car comes about in nineteen eighteen by a guy who 315 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: I I put this name in here because I knew 316 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: we would all love it. No, this guy's real name 317 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: is Felix Longobardi, because of course it is. Why wouldn't 318 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: it be Felix Longobardi patented a vehicle with retractable wings 319 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: that also had propellers. It was sort of like a 320 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: like a like a like a C to air kind 321 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: of situation. So if you if you hit the water, 322 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 1: you'd have these propellers. It would allow you to carry on, 323 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: you know, moving. Is it more of a fail safe 324 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: bend or is it really meant to be a multi 325 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: terrain vehicle? Well? Uh, you know it never really wait 326 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: for it got off the ground. I think I think 327 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: in an ideal world it's a multi terrain vehicle. It's 328 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: it can be a boat if it needs to be. 329 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: It can be a car if it needs to be. 330 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: It can be a plane. It's a beautiful idea. It 331 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: just didn't work out quite as Felix wish. Uh. There 332 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: was another thing. A guy named Robert E. Fulton creates 333 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: the Airphibian. I love that name Airphibian. Uh. And this 334 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 1: this one makes it to the prototype stage. It gets 335 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: certified by a government organization, the Civil Aeronautics Administration. But again, 336 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: if you look through your local parking lot, you will 337 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 1: see that there are no Airphibians nestled there next to 338 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,439 Speaker 1: your cameras and your God forbid Honda Honyssey's Can you 339 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,239 Speaker 1: imagine a Honda Odyssey and the sky would be like 340 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: everyone see no, by the way, I'm not gonna say 341 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: anything else, no spoilers, but it's very cool movie. Uh 342 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: but can you imagine if if Honda Odyssey just kind 343 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 1: of came at you from the clouds dive bombs you 344 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: ban that one that's been stalking you low these many years. Well, 345 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna I'm not thank you. Thank you guys 346 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: for that. Uh So we know each other too well, Yes, 347 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: you are correct, sir, But what what we're establishing here 348 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: is that by hook or by crook, so many people 349 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: have tried to make cars fly, and the vast majority 350 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: of these attempts have been unsuccessful. They haven't made it 351 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: to a U a full production phase. Right. It's it 352 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: would be weird for you to see a flying car 353 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 1: casually in the field. If you see something calling itself 354 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: a flying car erotable aircraft today, you're probably at a 355 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: special event. You're probably not stuck in traffic. But these 356 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: previous failures did not stop our guy, Henry Smolinsky, until 357 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: you know, it did stop him. He has some bota fides. 358 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: He was an aeronautical engineer out in California, and he 359 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: and his pal fellow college student Harold Blake, they had 360 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: both graduated from the Northrop Institute of Technology, their aeronautical engineers. 361 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:17,119 Speaker 1: They started a company pretty recently nine it's called Advanced 362 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: Vehicle Engineers, and they make something called the A V 363 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: E MISAR M I Z A R. And this is 364 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 1: a this no kidding, please look at the picture if 365 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: you're able to pull this up on your browser choice. 366 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: They took a Ford Pinto, yes, the famous Ford Pinto, 367 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: and they smacked the back half and wings of a 368 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: small plane Assessma Skymaster onto it. So if you look 369 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 1: at it, it looks like a Ford Pinto that had 370 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: some video game friends. It looks like someone had some DLC, 371 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: some downloadable content. They did DLC thing to this Ford Pinto. U. Okay, 372 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: it looks weird. It looks like it cannot fly, but 373 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 1: they wanted it to, you know, fly. They would use 374 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: the car engine the aircraft engine to take off, which 375 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: would shorten the time it needed on the runway, and 376 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 1: then once you're in the air, you turn off the 377 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 1: car engine. And the ideas that it would have uh 378 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: wings supports that could extend you could tie down the 379 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: wings like any other aircraft, and if you wanted, how 380 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 1: inspector gadget is this, you could detach the Skymaster part. 381 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: You could get rid of the wings and the plane 382 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: engine and you could just drive your Ford pinto out. Yeah. 383 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: I like this in theory, but again in practice sort 384 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: of another story. People felt the same, at least in 385 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: terms of the excitement part. In nineteen seventy three, things 386 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: were going super well, first Leminski and a V E, 387 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: and by mid nineteen seventy three there were two prototypes 388 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: that he had built and three more were in development 389 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: and actually starting to be built. One prototype was slated 390 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: for uh display at a Van Nye h Ford dealership 391 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: owned by one of a V's partners, Bert Bochman. The 392 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: other prototype was fitted with a Teleedne Continental motors to 393 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: ten horsepower engine, and it was unveiled at a press 394 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: event on May eighth, nineteen seventy three, and both vehicles 395 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 1: for photographed by a very well known photographer belonging to 396 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: Peterson Publishing Group named Mike Brenner for hot Rod magazine. 397 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: This is a big deal, is making some waves. I 398 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: like how you see a hot Rod magazine too that 399 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: felt really cool. Uh. Yeah, they they're getting f a 400 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: a certification. They're doing flights to get this certification. Rather 401 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: and a partner with someone who will be well known 402 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: to any any gear head, any fellow car enthusiasts. An 403 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: automobile dealer named galpin Ford. Galpin Ford you might recognize. Uh, 404 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: they have a have a like a subsidiary, a customer 405 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: arm called galpin Auto Sports, which is the garage from 406 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: Pimp My Ride Shout Out exhibit. You know, he's the 407 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: guy who heard you like trunks, so puts the trunk 408 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: in your trunks so you have more trunk space in 409 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: your trunk anyway, Yeah, I'm more room for for for 410 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: for the sub subway first, Uh you go in the trunk. Also, man, 411 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: I'd say, what was it in We were somewhere maybe 412 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: it was Dallas. There there were a lot of hypercolor 413 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: kind of like uh, spinner really was very popular, like 414 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: those like kind of led spinner rims. It seemed like 415 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: there was like a whole gaggle of like you know, 416 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 1: ones running together and like cruise almost like like like 417 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: like the like the dirt bike and a TV gangs 418 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:03,440 Speaker 1: that roam the streets of a Also those three wheeled 419 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: cars that are also very like Tron looking, and a 420 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: lot of those in Dallas too. Yeah, yeah, and they're fun. 421 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: I I have not bought one, I've driven around on one, 422 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 1: but they're they're pretty fun. I just don't know if 423 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: they're a daily driver because they don't have a time. 424 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: They're not. They'd be like go kart prices. Now they're 425 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: street legal, questionably so, but yeah, they're like it's as 426 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: much as like a sedan, A little bit of a 427 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: flex for sure. And here's how popular the Here's how 428 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: popular Smlinsky's vehicle was. It was going to be featured 429 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: in a James Bond film, The Man with the Golden 430 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:49,359 Speaker 1: Gun four and that same year was featured. It was 431 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: going to hit dealerships and if you wanted to buy 432 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: one of these Ford Pinto Cessna's, it's if you wanted 433 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: to buy this, you would pay about eighteen thousand, three 434 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: hundred dollars for the bottom of the barrel, all the 435 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: way up to twenty nine thousand dollars with all the 436 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: bells and whistles. At this point, it is time for 437 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:14,439 Speaker 1: our inflation calculator. We got some boops, we've got some beeps. 438 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: Keep a boo boo, boop bee doop wonderful. That is 439 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: our inflation calculator. Eighteen thousand, three hundred dollars in nineteen 440 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: seventy four is about one hundred and eight thousand, one 441 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: hundred and seventy three dollars and seventy four cents today. 442 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: I don't want to sound like a cheap skate, but 443 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: I think that's a lot for a car. I have 444 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: a question. I mean, I don't know, I'm gonna ask 445 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: a question, and I think no one in the history 446 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: of question asking has ever asked why does there have 447 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: to be inflation? Why can't things just stay the same? Man? 448 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: Is it about population increase and demand on resources and whatnot? 449 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: Just because capitalism is a Ponzi scheme that will ultimately 450 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: collapse on itself. These are good questions. Yeah, yeah, it's 451 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 1: sort of like why, you know, like companies have to 452 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 1: show year over year growth or else. You know, like 453 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: there comes a point where how is that even possible? 454 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: And you know, I mean it is. They they'll make 455 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: it possible, or they'll do it with like creative accounting um. 456 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: But it's just it does seem like a like a 457 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: losing proposition at the end of the day unless you're 458 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: in podcasting. Okay, yeah, we we gotta show growth. To man, 459 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: the boss will be looking at those numbers. Not jeez, 460 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: not jeez. Uh. Well, at least we're not selling Honda 461 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: Odyssey's So everything is everything is perfect for Smolinsky and co. 462 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: Right now, it's nineteen seventy three. Nineteen seventy four is 463 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: gonna be a big year. Everybody's excited. They're doing the 464 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: test flights. Stuff is looking pretty legit until late August 465 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: ninet seventy three there's a pilot named Charles Genie, and 466 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 1: Charles says, okay, I'm on this test flight and right 467 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: wing strut attachment has disconnected. The wing is unsupported. It's 468 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: just flapping around like the ario knots of old. You 469 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: know that the flappity flappity leads to the splattit e splattity. 470 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: So he says, I can't turn this with the flappity wing. 471 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: You guys need to look at this. This is a 472 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: serious design problem. So Spellisky and Blake look at it. 473 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: They do take this seriously. They fixed the strut and 474 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: they give it a once over. They take it out 475 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: again just a few weeks later, and respect to them 476 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: because they didn't want to endanger anybody else's life. They 477 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 1: did to your earlier point self experimentation. Unfortunately, they were 478 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: not able to fully fix the issue. The support failed 479 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: once again. Wind Smolinsky himself as the islet tried to 480 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: make a turn that right wing crumpled, the whole agglomeration 481 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: of the Pinto and the Cessna crashed. Both men died. 482 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: These are just a few of the people, not only 483 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: inventors who died due to their own inventions, but just 484 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: a few of the people who died trying to fly. 485 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: So every time you are on an airplane, and one 486 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: of us is going to be on an airplane very soon, 487 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: every time you're on an airplane, thank those people. Thank 488 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: you for that. Wait, I was like, is it, Oh yeah, Max, 489 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: vacationero phobia. Hey, speaking of landing, I'll send you this 490 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: Instagram video that'll that'll put your your fears at ease. 491 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: I saw the most remarkable, just absolute bork landing of 492 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: a commercial flight on Instagram. It's like the thing it's 493 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: just coming in at this absurd angle and it hits. 494 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: It doesn't explode, it just flips over and skids upside down. 495 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 1: To a stop. I don't think anyone died, but like, 496 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 1: what what terror? Can you imagine the terror? Why did 497 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: you tell me that? Also because we want to help 498 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: you confront your aerophobia, manas I even guys, I fly 499 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: in Alaska out to Seattle even strong the extra fifty 500 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: six bucks to get business class. Business class. It's like 501 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: previous Yeah, comfort plus it's like, I mean, I'm six 502 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 1: ft tall, um like pounds. I'm gonna give you an 503 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: ish there. So I clearly don't fit in most planes. 504 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: So I got that extra four inches. So I was 505 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 1: gonna be all it's it's I was gonna enjoy it. 506 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 1: But now I'm just to be thinking about the plane 507 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: nose diving and like you know, cartwheeling down down the runways. 508 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: For me, I fly all the time. The landing is 509 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 1: always that's when things could go south. I like to 510 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: sit in the very front or in the very back 511 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: because I like the I like the bump. You know, 512 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: if I'm if I'm already paying for a ticket and 513 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: I fly probably too much, honestly. But if i'm if 514 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: I'm paying for the ticket, then give me a little 515 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: roller coaster at the end. You know what I'm saying 516 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: what is life? I always gripped the seat in front 517 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: of me just a little bit every time, and uh, 518 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: they haven't haven't had a flipper yet. So you'll be fine, Max, 519 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 1: You'll be fine. The odds are in your favor as 520 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: little as you fly, Max, get a windows seat. Get 521 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: a windows okay, hell, get the emergency exit seat. That 522 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: the one that's the one with the most leg room, 523 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: you know, yeah it is. Also it's the one with 524 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 1: the most power and responsibility. I always try to fly 525 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: and exit seat windows style. You lose a little windows. 526 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: Sometimes you might just get the porthole. But those people 527 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: depend on you, and it's cool to be a hero. 528 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: Maybe am I a little too proactive and a little 529 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: too enthusiastic when the flight attendant asked me for that 530 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 1: verbal yes? Maybe I should just say yes instead of hell. Yeah. 531 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 1: These are questions, and they're fair questions. I was my 532 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 1: own kind of hero on a flight recently, Ben, there 533 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: was a particularly obnoxious child who was sitting next to me, 534 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 1: and I had the window seat, and her mother was 535 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: seated next to her in the middle, and then the 536 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:14,919 Speaker 1: child and then this is one of these children, there's 537 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 1: just like I want the thing that I can't have me, 538 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: which was the windows seats. I gave her my window seat, 539 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: and the mother was so appreciative, and the flight attendant 540 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: heard me do it and rewarded me with sky miles. 541 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: But mainly, I mainly just didn't want to hear that 542 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 1: kid yowling the whole trip, so it was sort of 543 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 1: a self serving. But I think in some small way 544 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: I did a service for everyone on that plane. I 545 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: will take that. I will take those accolades, Yeah I did. 546 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,959 Speaker 1: I'm fine with aisle seat. I like either aisle seat 547 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 1: or of course, window seat. But I'll see it's good 548 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: because you can get up anytime. You don't have to 549 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 1: worry about bugging. I'm also yeah, I mean, I'm not. 550 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm not, I'm not six. I don't need a window 551 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,440 Speaker 1: seat anymore. It's fun. I don't mind it. But I 552 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 1: think I prefer the aisle seat except getting your elbows back. 553 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: I like the windows. Planes are amazing. A lot of 554 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 1: people died so that we could witness, uh and participate 555 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:13,280 Speaker 1: in this fascinating technology. Window seats forever. Uh. And you guys, 556 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:15,759 Speaker 1: you know, I'll wave to you and when you're over 557 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: on the aisle seat, and I respect you and Max. 558 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: We didn't want this stand on a bad note, and 559 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: aerophobia is a real thing. Uh, So for you, my friend, 560 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: we wanted to wrap today's show with a couple of 561 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:35,479 Speaker 1: hopefully reassuring facts. You are way safer. You are way 562 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:39,480 Speaker 1: safer taking a flight to Seattle than you are taking 563 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:43,359 Speaker 1: a road trip. Uh And there are numerous reasons why 564 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: we pulled some National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data back 565 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: in uh Let's say the numbers were roughly the same 566 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: before COVID. There were thirty two thousand more than thirty 567 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: two thousand fatal car accidents that led to over thirty 568 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: five thousand deaths. That means that there were people who 569 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:12,280 Speaker 1: were not involved with the cars who died. They weren't driving, 570 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: they weren't necessarily passengers, they died. Uh. And this means 571 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: that there were one point one three fatalities per one 572 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:26,320 Speaker 1: hundred million vehicle miles traveled. That's eleven people for every 573 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 1: one thousand US residents. Cars are not subject to the 574 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: same scrutiny, the same maintenance, the same rigorous regulation as planes. 575 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: So dude, you are whether you're in the aisle seat 576 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:42,919 Speaker 1: or the window seat, nobody wants the middle seat whether 577 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: whatever seat you're in, Uh, you are way safer than 578 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: you would be on a road trip, even if you 579 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 1: were with me and Mill, which would be epic. We 580 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: should do a road trip, Oh, I'd love to. Speaking 581 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:57,399 Speaker 1: of Earl Pala Scott Benjamin, we did a incredible road 582 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: trip years ago, actually a road rally, like a scavenger hunt, 583 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: all across the these United States, and it was a delay. Um. Yeah, 584 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: we should make that happen again very soon. But in 585 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: the meantime, I think it's time to put an end 586 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: to this. Uh, this two parter proactively proactive two yes, yes, 587 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:18,919 Speaker 1: that is correct. Uh. And we hope that you have 588 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: enjoyed this as as much as we did. Folks. Again, 589 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 1: every death is a tragedy, but these brave pioneers of 590 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 1: the sky have fundamentally changed the way that people interact 591 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:37,840 Speaker 1: with their environment. And we hope you tune in for 592 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 1: future iterations of this. Let us know, uh, let us 593 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: know your tales of inventors who have died by their 594 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 1: own hands, such as there's a fun fact I throw 595 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,440 Speaker 1: in because I don't know whether this belongs in a 596 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:53,759 Speaker 1: in a full episode, but uh Noel Max did you gout. 597 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 1: You guys know the Denver Airport, right, there's that big 598 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: nightmarish stalion statue. The guy who made that died as 599 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 1: a result of that statute. What do you mean as 600 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:08,280 Speaker 1: a result? How did he die? Who did this to him? 601 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,879 Speaker 1: It fell on him? Oh my god, that's awful. There's 602 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: also an insane mural at Denver Airport this guy, like 603 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: the the weird gas masks kind of Gestapo figure, swinging 604 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 1: a giant saber across a like a rainbow of like 605 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 1: indigenous people carrying dead babies. It's very strange. Didn't they 606 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 1: move some of that or they got rid of some 607 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,040 Speaker 1: of it? I don't know. It was always very controversial 608 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: and there were even, like you know, all kinds of 609 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 1: conspiracies scrolling around the Denver for this is news to me. 610 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:41,319 Speaker 1: This just happened in two thousand six. The sculptor was 611 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 1: killed when part of the blue Mustang statue fell on him, unfortunately, 612 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: severed an artery in his leg. I thought, you said, 613 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,160 Speaker 1: we working in it's on a bummer, Ben. That's a 614 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 1: total bummer, right, right you are. We don't want to 615 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: be a bummer. Because he liked the aviation pioneers, in 616 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:07,439 Speaker 1: this series. Uh, he did leave a legacy, and it's 617 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:11,920 Speaker 1: important to remember that history is closer than it may 618 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 1: appear in the rear view. There we go. Oh my gosh, 619 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:16,440 Speaker 1: my car stuff is coming out. We got to end 620 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,800 Speaker 1: the show. At least he didn't sever an artery in 621 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:23,759 Speaker 1: his legacy. Am I right? The show already, I'm gonna start. 622 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna start ripping off people's names and thank you. Alright, alright, thanks, thanks, 623 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 1: thanks Max, thanks for the check in. Also thanks to 624 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:38,399 Speaker 1: our super producer Max. Thanks to Alex Williams composed the track. Yeah, 625 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 1: Jonathan Streetlin, Alright, alright, we're out, We're out, everybody, We'll 626 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:51,879 Speaker 1: see someone. For more podcasts for my Heart Radio, visit 627 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you 628 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows