Indiza Enenjini
KWAPHELA amakhulu eminyaka, abantu bephupha ngokundiza. Kodwa umuntu akanayo imisipha eqine ngokwanele ukuba ingakwazi ukumphakamisela emoyeni. Ngo-1781, uJames Watt wasungula injini esebenza ngesitimu eyayikwazi ukuziphendukela, kwase kuthi ngo-1876, uNikolaus Otto wayithuthukisa wabe esakha injini esebenza ngophethiloli. Manje umuntu wayesenenjini engakwazi ukusetshenziswa endizeni. Kodwa ubani owayengayakha?
Izelamani, uWilbur no-Orville Wright zazilokhu zinesifiso sokundiza kusukela ngenkathi ezakwazi ngayo ukundizisa ama-kite zisengabafana. Kamuva, zafunda amakhono obunjiniyela ngokwakha amabhayisekili. Zaqaphela ukuthi isihluthulelo sokundiza sasiwuklama umshini othile olawulekayo. Indiza engenakukwazi ukuzinza emoyeni yayifana nebhayisekili elingenazimpondo, okuyinto engasizi ngalutho. UWilbur wabuka indlela izinyoni ezindiza ngayo waqaphela nokuthi imizimba yazo iya ngalapho zijikela ngakhona, njengoba nje kwenza umgibeli webhayisekili. Waphetha ngokuthi zikwazi ukujika nokuzinza ngokutshekisa amaphethelo ezimpiko. Wafika kanjalo umqondo wokwakha iphiko elikwazi ukutsheka.
Ngo-1900, uWilbur no-Orville bakha indiza enamaphiko akwazi ukutsheka. Baqale bayindizisa njenge-kite kamuva njengendiza eqondiswa ngesandla engenayo injini. Bathola ukuthi idinga izinto ezintathu ukuze kulawulwe ukuphakama, ukujika nokuphambuka kwayo. Kodwa, badumala ngokuthi amaphiko awakwazanga ukuyiphakamisa ngokwanele, ngakho bakha umgudu womoya bazama namaphiko aklanywe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene kwaze kwaba yilapho bethola afanelekayo. Ngo-1902, indiza entsha abayakha, yakwazi ukuzinza kahle emoyeni. Base bengakwazi yini ukuyifaka injini manje?
Okokuqala, kwadingeka ukuba bazakhele eyabo injini. Ngolwazi ababeluthole emgudwini womoya, bakwazi ukuxazulula inkinga eyinkimbinkimbi yokwakha uphephela. Ekugcineni, ngo-December 17, 1903, bayidumisa le njini, ophephela baphenduka, nendiza yaphakama yaze yayofika endaweni enomoya obandayo. U-Orville wathi: “Sifezekile isifiso ebesilokhu sinaso njengabafana. Sesiyakwazi ukundiza.” Lezi zelamani zaba osaziwayo emhlabeni. Kodwa zakwazi kanjani ukundiza? Yebo, imvelo yaba nendima kulokhu.
[Isithombe ekhasini 4]
Indiza okuthiwa i-Wright “Flyer,” eNyakatho Carolina, e-U.S.A., ngo-1903 (isithombe esizenzele sona)