I was not looking forward to spending an entire day listening to stuffy business men talk about the aerospace industry. First of all it’s way over my head. I chose broadcast journalism because it is just that; journalism. Math and science not included. Furthermore, how exciting can airplanes be anyway?
I was in for a wake-up call and a reminder of why my job is so cool.
They say it is like speed dating for the aerospace industry. The annual aerospace summit in Tulsa, OK, brings together officials and aerospace aficionados from around the world to discuss all the new things heading our way. As a multi-billion dollar industry, aerospace proves to be extremely important to Oklahoma’s economy. The industry provides an astounding 143,000 jobs and $12 billion dollars annually to the state.
Now back to the stuffy business men. Yeah they were all wearing suits, but it turns out these guys were more along the lines of oh…geniuses. We are talking about men and women who have walked on the moon. Astronauts so intellectually brilliant they draw complicated designs on napkins. No not squiggles and doodles, but the design plans for the B2 bomber. CEO’s of Boeing and American Airlines. Airplane pilots who have decided to retire from the grueling occupation and perfect unmanned aerial reconnaissance used for spying by the U.S. government.
The men and women of the aerospace industry are incredible. My brain will never work the way theirs does. I will never step foot on the moon or fly a fighter jet into hostile territory, but I am able to hear their stories and bring them to you. I have the opportunity to meet some of the most intriguing masterminds in the world and share with you what they are doing and what it means for Oklahoma.
So the next time you step on an airplane, remember your pilot may just be a little piece of history sitting up there in that cockpit.
~Courtenay Dehoff
On The Horizon: Flying High with Brilliance from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.