Watching the Big Boy Planes Fly

Supposedly a Richard William Pearse (New Zealand) flew a "heavier-than-air-machine" in March 1903 - some 9 months before the Wright Brother's! I'll continue believing my American history books and school teachers in saying the Wright Brothers were the first :) 

However, the Wright brothers were able to obtain sustain and controlled flight for a period of time while Pearse did not. Seriously, Wikipedia has all the deets (but some NZ travel literature claims Pearse as the father of modern flight).

LAX Terminal 4: Lufthansa and American Airlines

In 2012 we've these ginormous monsters that are no longer simple puddle jumpers they had back in the day when Grandma and Grandpa had to "walk to school up hill both ways".

Cheers to my 13-hour, modern flight filled with free beverages and entertainment
:D