Any mode of transport dreamt up by a child and used regularly in children’s games centuries ago has to be all about fun - and the helicopter is certainly that. It has the unique ability to hover endlessly above the ground, is able to take-off and land vertically, and has the manoeuvrability of a mouse in a maze.
The original children’s toy
In the mists of time, 400BC to be exact, Chinese children were already playing with bamboo flying toys that appear to resemble the modern helicopter. The first definitive reference to this fun plaything was found in a book, penned in the 4th Century, called the Pao Phu Tau.
“Someone asked the master about the principles of mounting to dangerous heights and travelling into the vast inane. The Master said, "Some have made flying cars with wood from the inner part of the jujube tree, using ox-leather [straps] fastened to returning blades so as to set the machine in motion”.
Centuries later, a young Russian boy dreamt up a design that he would later fine tune to create the first contemporary helicopter. That boy was Igor Sikorsky, a name that has endured to this day as the epitome of all things pertaining to helicopters.
Kids are captivated by helicopters
It’s also remarkable that all children, regardless of their youthfulness or immaturity, are absolutely captivated by helicopters. Even when they are barely able to talk, they somehow manage to pronounce helicopter and it is an unusual child, or adult for that matter, who is not dying to experience the flight and fancy of a chopper in all its glory.
This rotorcraft has the added ability to fly in low, offering passengers up close and personal encounters with spectacular view sites, Humpback whales in their watery world and even the explosive and dangerous mouths of active volcanoes. No other mode of transport can quite match its versatility.
Its role in ‘fun’ activities
Then of course, the craft itself is traditionally used for a number of ‘fun’ activities, although its more serious role as an adept rescue ranger cannot be discounted. More and more motion pictures include scenes taken from helicopters, presenting unique and innovative angles and views of the world.
It’s arguably that heart-stopping feeling when the helicopter soars vertically into the air or swoops towards the ground that is the most fun of all. And, on a healthy note, in much the same way one’s stomach drops on a big dipper or roller coaster at a funfair, the helicopter has this same ability to increase the release of dopamine, the brain’s pleasure chemical.
Explore the breathtaking wonders of the Cape Peninsula with any of NAC Makana Aviation’s popular helicopter tours of Cape Town and enjoy the freedom of our helicopter hiring services - spoil yourself and discover the Cape’s magic and beauty.
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