--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a wonderful little short…" description: "\"There was a wonderful little short four-year time period when marvelous things happened. It started in 1908, when the Wright brothers flew in Paris, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/burt-rutan-12448_airplane_there-was-a-wonderful-little-short-four_2280508.jpg" --- # There was a wonderful little short four-year time period… ![“There was a wonderful little short four-year time period when marvelous things happened. It started in 1908, when the Wright brothers flew in Paris, and everybody said, 'Ooh, hey, I can do that.' There's only a few people that have flown in early 1908. In four years, 39 countries had hundreds of…” quote by Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/burt-rutan-12448_airplane_there-was-a-wonderful-little-short-four_2280508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/burt-rutan-12448_airplane_there-was-a-wonderful-little-short-four_2280508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/burt-rutan-12448_airplane_there-was-a-wonderful-little-short-four_2280508.jpg) > “There was a wonderful little short four-year time period when marvelous things happened. It started in 1908, when the Wright brothers flew in Paris, and everybody said, 'Ooh, hey, I can do that.' There's only a few people that have flown in early 1908. In four years, 39 countries had hundreds of airplanes, thousands of pilots.” [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates the rapid expansion of aviation after the Wright brothers' flights, highlighting how quickly societies embraced new technology. **In simple terms:** Aviation spread quickly after early flights. Key Takeaway Embrace emerging tech early. Themes innovation technology progress Mood enthusiastic optimistic Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - education - policy making - entrepreneurship - technology adoption Key Concepts Aviation history social diffusion Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance excitement with caution? - What lessons apply to today's tech booms? A Different Perspective Rapid growth can outpace safety regulations and infrastructure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pilots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilots/) [Plane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [The Wright brothers flew through the smoke screen of impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-brande/the-wright-brothers-flew-through-the-smoke-screen-of-impossibility/) [Dorothea Brande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-brande/) > [The Wright brothers flew right through the smoke screen of impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/the-wright-brothers-flew-right-through-the-smoke-screen-of/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [“But you cannot fly away from people who have flown away from you; you cannot fly into your own arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mccracken/but-you-cannot-fly-away-from-people-who-have-flown-away-from-you-you/) [Elizabeth McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mccracken/) > [I would rather people understand that there is a very, very fortunate American who was given the opportunity, and was in the right place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-would-rather-people-understand-that-there-is-a-very-very-fortunate/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Greek myths are heroic, noble and tragic; but the American Dream is heroic, comical, and uplifting. Americans are a people in whom overweening ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright/greek-myths-are-heroic-noble-and-tragic-but-the-american-dream-is/) [John C. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright/) > [Among all the marvels of modern invention, that with which I am most concerned is, of course, air transportation. Flying is perhaps the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/among-all-the-marvels-of-modern-invention-that-with-which-i-am-most/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) > [The Wright brothers committed themselves to do what no one else had ever done before. They took time to do their homework. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/the-wright-brothers-committed-themselves-to-do-what-no-one-else-had/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [In 1903 the Wright brothers invented airplanes, because in 1902 they took a road trip across the country with their family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-engvall/in-1903-the-wright-brothers-invented-airplanes-because-in-1902-they/) [Bill Engvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-engvall/) > [“Fear would have told the Wright brothers not to fly. Fear would have told Rosa Parks to change seats. Fear would have told Steve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/fear-would-have-told-the-wright-brothers-not-to-fly-fear-would-have/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [America, in the eyes of the world, typifies above all else this quality of initiative. The greatest successes are nearly all the fruit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/america-in-the-eyes-of-the-world-typifies-above-all-else-this-quality/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [In honoring the Wright Brothers, it is customary and proper to recognize their contribution to scientific progress. But I believe it is equally important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-honoring-the-wright-brothers-it-is-customary-and-proper-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Wright Brothers created the single greatest cultural force since the invention of writing. The airplane became the first World Wide Web, bringing people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-wright-brothers-created-the-single-greatest-cultural-force-since/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We are ever on the threshold of new journeys and new discoveries. Can you imagine the excitement of the Wright brothers on the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/we-are-ever-on-the-threshold-of-new-journeys-and-new-discoveries-can/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Innovation really is the life blood of our American economy... looking back at the stories of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/innovation-really-is-the-life-blood-of-our-american-economy-looking/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [If the Wright brother were alive today Wilbur would have to fire Orville to reduce costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kelleher/if-the-wright-brother-were-alive-today-wilbur-would-have-to-fire/) [Herb Kelleher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kelleher/) ## More by Burt Rutan > [I like to call the difference between research and development. Some people use that interchangeably. They'll say R&D. They're two totally different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/i-like-to-call-the-difference-between-research-and-development-some/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [America was good enough to make a small compact lighter weight nuclear weapon. The Russians still had these big clunky heavy ones, so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/america-was-good-enough-to-make-a-small-compact-lighter-weight/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [A true creator researches how to have confidence in nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/a-true-creator-researches-how-to-have-confidence-in-nonsense/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [I spent about seven years during the Vietnam War flight-testing airplanes for the Air Force. And then I went in and I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/i-spent-about-seven-years-during-the-vietnam-war-flight-testing/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Flight out of the atmosphere is a simple thing to do and should have been available to the public twenty years ago. Ten years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/flight-out-of-the-atmosphere-is-a-simple-thing-to-do-and-should-have/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [We didn't know the importance of home computers before the Internet. We had them mostly for fun, then the Internet came along and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/we-didn-t-know-the-importance-of-home-computers-before-the-internet/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Virgin Galactic, which will be operating SpaceShipTwo, will be only one of several spacelines. The competitors for Virgin include the Russians, Bezos's Blue Origin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/virgin-galactic-which-will-be-operating-spaceshiptwo-will-be-only-one/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Within 25 years, virtual reality meetings will be essentially transparent to being there in person. Once we can do this, the idea of climbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/within-25-years-virtual-reality-meetings-will-be-essentially/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Everything looks nonsensical before it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/everything-looks-nonsensical-before-it-works/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [A NASA-funded study estimates that if the price of a ticket to space approached $100,000, close to a million people would buy one. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/a-nasa-funded-study-estimates-that-if-the-price-of-a-ticket-to-space/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Achieving something that has never existed in manned spaceflight and that is high volume and public access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/achieving-something-that-has-never-existed-in-manned-spaceflight-and/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [There will be a new industry, and we are just now in the beginning. I will predict that in twelve or fifteen years there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/there-will-be-a-new-industry-and-we-are-just-now-in-the-beginning-i/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Our goal is to show that you can develop a robust, safe manned space program and do it at an extremely low cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/our-goal-is-to-show-that-you-can-develop-a-robust-safe-manned-space/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Usually the wacky people have the breakthroughs. The 'smart' people don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/usually-the-wacky-people-have-the-breakthroughs-the-smart-people-don-t/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [In the coming era of manned space exploration by the private sector, market forces will spur development and yield new, low-cost space technologies. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/in-the-coming-era-of-manned-space-exploration-by-the-private-sector/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) [Explore all 55 Burt Rutan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) ## More Airplane quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) Shmmopy > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) Len Morgan > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [From computers to information technology to airplanes, it has been America's unique blend of republican government and free-market capitalism that has allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/from-computers-to-information-technology-to-airplanes-it-has-been/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) Browse all 935 Airplane quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a wonderful little short four-year time period when marvelous things happened. It started in 1908, when the Wright brothers flew in Paris, and everybody said, 'Ooh, hey, I can do that.' There's only a few people that have flown in early 1908. 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