By Rameen Kamran
From: Islamabad, Pakistan
Age: 17 years old
AHMED CELEBI’S FLIGHT OVER THE BOSPHORUS
The Ottoman Empire is often synonymous with the powerful sultans, imperialism, and ornate palaces, but behind this image is an equally significant legacy of contributions in science, arts and learning. As the successors and the continuators of the glorious Islamic empires, the Ottomans carried forward their legacy of learning and made extensive contributions to engineering, medicine, astronomy et cetera. Long before the Wright brothers took their first flight, Hazerfan Ahmed Celebi defied gravity through his intercontinental flight through the skies overlooking the Topkapi in the reign of Sultan Murad IV. For Centuries, humans have been looking for a way to emulate the way birds and other flight animals soar through the endless skies touching the ceiling of the earth but Ahmed Celebi was courageous enough to be the first man who breathed life into that dream.
BEFORE THE FLIGHT
Inspired by the drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci, Ahmed Celebi devoted himself to the studying of the flight of the birds and then engineered a rudimentary set of wings, imitating wings of the majestic eagle. Hazerfan did not leapt over the Galata the first time. He is said to have carried out various small flights first in different elevations of Istanbul. Ahmed also trained his body to maintain balance, endure the pressure exerted by the winds and to control his breathing during the flight. This was not an easy task. It took focused training and unflinching determination.
THE HISTORIC FLIGHT
According to the account of Evliya Celebi, an Ottoman traveler, Ahmed Celebi took a leap from the top of Galata Tower, one of the highest points of the city, in 1632. Harnessing the power of aerodynamics and years of practice, he glided over the strait of Bosphorus and crossed Europe to Asia. He landed triumphantly in the Doğancılar district of Üsküdar, surprising the spectators and according to one legend, the adoration of Sultan Murad IV himself.
LEGACY
Sultan Murad IV, being highly impressed from Hazerfan’s flight, awarded him with gold but later exiled him, fearing that his prowess might endanger the established order. He suffered a fate not unknown to the brilliant minds of the day and age where innovation was considered heresy. But his legacy of being the pioneer aviator lived on.
CONCLUSION
Ahmet Celebi’s leap has become a symbol of innovation not just limited to Turkey but beyond. His story represents the true essence of scientific curiosity in the minds of the ottomans, human ingenuity and the desire to achieve something great. It served and continues to serve as an inspiration for engineers, dreamers and futurists all over the globe. Long before modern aviation, Ahmed envisioned a world where sky was accessible for humans as a passage. He taught us that the true spirit of innovation begins by cultivating a mindset by challenging one’s own self to achieve greatness.
REFERENCES
https://www.motleyturkey.com/hezarfen-the-first-flying-person/
https://www.aviationfile.com/who-is-hezarfen-ahmed-celebi/
PHOTOGRAPHS
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