Janet Bednarek: Aviation historian to appear in television special
This segment of the series is investigating the history of aviation, with a focus on the baby boomer generation of the ’60s as a turning point in the history of flight.
In the past few years, Bednarek has been receiving recognition for her research and work in the field of aviation. Her 2003 Dreams of Flight, a book she co-wrote with her husband Michael Bednarek about the history of flight, and her interviews during the 100th anniversary of flight in 2003, along with her recent honor of being featured in the second annual Best Essays in American History 2007, have all garnered her respect as well as the attention of the producer of “Our Generation.”
The producer contacted Bednarek via e-mail, and after a phone conversation Bednarek went to Seattle over spring break to film an hour-long interview for the segment.
According to Bednarek, her interviews involved commentary on the whole history of flight, not just the 1960s era. There was a focus on the introduction of jets to the commercial sector in 1959 that marked a public expansion in the use of flight.