Scenario:The 1950s era Electrolux canister vacuum cleaner can be used as a jet engine, mounted under the wing. A jet would have four of the vacuums under the wings, where the engine would normally go.
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The 1950s era Electrolux canister vacuum cleaner can be used as a jet engine, mounted under the wing. A jet would have four of the vacuums under the wings, where the engine would normally go.
Eli Monroe
He is a World War II pilot training to fly the new experimental jet plane, the "VacuumBat." He is adventurous, determined, and curious. Eli grew up during the Great Depression and always felt like he was playing catchup. He met his best friend, Eliot, in a boarding house. When he heard about the experimental jet plane made from vacuum cleaners, he was intrigued and volunteered to test it.
Betty
She is Eli Monroe’s secretary and girlfriend. She is efficient, cheerful, and optimistic. Betty handles all of Eli’s administrative tasks, including scheduling appointments and correspondence with the airfield. She is supportive of Eli's unconventional project and encourages him to pursue his dreams. Her bright personality and organized demeanor make her an invaluable asset to Eli's work on the vacuum jet plane project.
Colonel Reed
He is a highranking military officer overseeing the experimental aviation project. He is authoritative, visionary, and cautious. As the leader of the team developing the vacuum jet plane, he faces skepticism from other military officials but remains committed to seeing the project's potential. His leadership and openmindedness enable the experimental plane to take flight despite numerous challenges.
It was the 1950s.
I was training to fly a new experimental jet plane.
The jet wasn’t made by Lockheed or Boeing.
It was made by Electrolux.
An Electrolux canister vacuum cleaner could be used as a jet engine.
If you mounted it under the wing of a plane, it would be a jet.
A real jet would have four of those Electrolux vacuums where the engines normally went.
My best friend, Eliot, thought I was crazy.
When I told him about the project, he laughed and said I should get a real job in aviation.
He lived in New York and I lived in Florida, but we stayed in touch through letters.
He had an apartment in Manhattan and worked for Pan Am.
I had a small house near the coast and worked on the secret project.
He wrote, "A vacuum cleaner as a jet engine? Don’t play with airplanes, Eli. You’re not a real pilot. Stick to what you know. Work on your license to fly commercial airliners. That would be a real job."
I didn’t have time to write him back because I was busy learning to fly the VacuumBat.
The VacuumBat was the code name for the Electrolux jet plane project.
Only a handful of people knew about it.
I arrived at the airfield before dawn.
The tarmac was empty except for the VacuumBat.
It was a silhouette against the dark sky.
Betty handed me the pre-flight checklist.
Her fingers touched mine for luck.
She said, "You’ll be fine. I checked everything."
I nodded and walked to the plane.
The four Electrolux units were mounted under the wings.
They looked like vacuum cleaners, but they weren’t.
They had specialized connections and modified intakes.
I checked each one methodically.
Colonel Reed watched from the control tower.
He was in charge of the project.
I climbed into the cockpit and adjusted the unfamiliar controls.
My hands shook a little as I did my checks.
The vacuum engines made a strange whine when I turned them on for warm-up.
It was different from conventional jets.
The ground crew scrambled to remove the wheel chocks. I gripped the throttle and remembered Eliot’s mocking letter.
I grip the throttle tighter, scanning the instruments one last time.
The vacuum engines' whine grows louder as I verify each gauge reading matches Betty's checklist.
Through the cockpit window, I see Colonel Reed giving the final clearance signal from the control tower.
Ground crew members shield their eyes, stepping back from the aircraft.
The familiar smell of oil and metal fills my nostrils, but the vibration through the fuselage feels different - smoother than standard engines.
My heart pounds as I align the nose with the runway centerline, remembering Eliot's warning about experimental aircraft.
"Betty, what if Eliot's right?" I muttered, my voice barely audible over the engine's whine.
She leaned closer, her eyes steady and reassuring. "Eli, you know this jet better than anyone; trust yourself and prove him wrong."
Colonel Reed's voice crackled over the radio. "Pilot, remember, this isn't just about flying—it's about changing aviation history."
