[ WP ] In a world of airships and steamers you are the first airplane pilot .

The propeller spun in a blur as the aircraft struggled down the runway. 
 
 `` C'mon!'' John shouted as he throttled forward eking as much speed out of the engine as possible. 
 
 The engine whined in protest as he pulled back on the stick. Twin wheels inched off the ground, and in one breathless moment the airplane was airborne. 
 
 `` YES!'' John shouted and pumped a fist in the air. His patchwork airplane of canvas and wood was slowly gaining altitude, the ground drifting a way steadily. He leveled the airplane off at a few hundred feet. Zeppelins drifted in the distance slowly transporting the citizens of Terrace. 
 
 `` Time to show off,'' he grinned and steered for the massive floating zeppelins. 
 
 The plane zoomed forward at speeds people once thought were impossible. The crisp air washed over John's goggles. He could n't suppress his childlike laughter as he raced through the air. He banked at the last second before colliding with a zeppelin, the passengers stared in disbelief as the airplane's air wash buffeted them. 
 
 A few months ago the investors laughed at him, told him that his dream was an impossibility. With a glance at his gas gauge he knew he had to return the airfield. A thought suddenly occurred to him, *how do I land? * 
 
 First to fly, first to land. He pushed the stick down and slowly dropped altitude. The long stretch of green grass that was his airfield came into view. He pulled the strings tied to the flaps sending them up to further reduce his speed. 
 
 He was still coming in too fast, the ground rushed to meet his small rubber wheels. John refused to close his eyes, he wanted to remember every second of this landing. With a thundering impact the plane's wheels touched the ground, instantly blowing them out. Twisted, torn rubber sprayed behind the airplane as it bounced off of the ground and landed on metal rims. John's teeth were nearly rattling out of his head as the plane bounced precariously down the runway. His grip was so tight on the stick he felt like he was going to break it in half. The tail swung left as the plane began to spin. Reflexively John shut his eyes and prayed. 
 
 The plane dipped and a wing was torn off by the impact with the ground. It rolled and spun faster, parts of the craft were flying in every direction as it began to disintegrate around the cockpit. Suddenly the plane slid to a stop. John opened one eye prepared to see the pearly gates, instead he saw grass. He was upside down dangling from the cockpit. 
 
 Shiny polished black shoes stepped into his view. 
 
 `` You alive in there?'' the voice asked John. 
 
 `` Did you see! I DID IT!'' John shouted triumphantly. 
 
 The man dipped his head and John saw the metal police badge on his hat. 
 
 `` You're under arrest,'' he said reaching in and giving John a hand. 
 
 Being the first has its rewards, and consequences John thought to himself as he was escorted to the police car. He was already imagining how he would fix the airplane and improve the landing gear. A man from the newspaper snapped a picture of John at the police station. His broad smile was on the front page the next day. 
 
 `` John Barringer - The Man Who Flew'' 
 
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