Billy Mitchell had a problem. His experience as a pilot in the first world war convinced him that airplanes were the way of the future, but no one believed him. Most people thought that airplanes were simply military tools or toys for the rich, so Billy decided to show people what airplanes could do. In 1919 he organized a transcontinental air race. However, it was not as simple as it sounds.
The first problem was that the military surplus airplanes did not carry a lot of fuel, so Billy had to organize makeshift airports every two hundred miles. None of the aircraft had reliable navigational or flight aids such as compasses or altimeters. Therefore, Billy decided that the pilots would find their way across the country by following the railroad tracks. Also, the open cockpit airplanes were cold, and their engines tended to catch on fire in mid-flight.
Despite the challenges, sixty-three teams signed up. Forty-eight would start from the east coast and head west, while the remaining fifteen teams would go in the opposite direction. Then, to make the competition even more difficult, Billy decided that the teams had to not only cross the country but return to their starting point.
The race began on October 8, 1919, and immediately caught the public’s attention. Newspapers gave daily updates, the makeshift airports drew huge crowds, and the pilots became celebrities. After a total of fifty-four crashes and nine deaths, Belvin Maynard was declared the winner after crossing the country and back in nine days.
The good news is that people finally understood what Billy believed all along. Within a year, the US postal service began an air mail service using the same route as the air race. Not long after that, people started talking about passenger service and the airline industry was born.
Sometimes people need an example before they understand what is possible.
That is true in spiritual matters as well, so Paul writes, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you” (Philippians 3:17).
Whom do you know that is a good example? What do you appreciate about them? How have they helped you? Maybe it would be worth your time to share that with them. Maybe you need to consider your example to others.
Examples are powerful.
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