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Skywriting is an advertising method where a pilot spells out a short message using smoke. It originated in 1912 and was first used commercially in the 1920s. Skytyping, a computer-controlled method, has largely replaced it. Skywriting remains popular for personal messaging. The national highway system’s expansion after World War II led to the decline of skywriting, and advertisers turned to billboards and banners instead. Some pilots still practice skywriting, but skytyping is more common.
Skywriting is a form of advertising where a pilot is instructed to spell out a short slogan or slogan in letters formed out of smoke. In general, a client would designate a specific place and time for the skywriting to appear, usually on a large outdoor forum or on the beach. The message would last only as long as the winds were relatively calm and the skies were clear. Single-story skywriting has largely been replaced by multi-story “skytyping,” a computer-controlled method that involves timed puffs of smoke from a synchronized row of planes.
The first official demonstration of skywriting took place over New York City in November 1922, but several sources also list 1912 as a significant year. At an airshow in the Midwest that year, a pilot used standard Army smoke grenades to demonstrate the effectiveness of airplanes as battlefield signaling devices. Early military and stunt pilots also used smoke to better define their aerial maneuvers for spectators, occasionally writing letters for effect. By the 1920s, the rudimentary sky script was already being used commercially in a few smaller markets.
In November 1922, a skywriting pioneer and British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot named John Savage sat with the president of the American Tobacco Company, George Hill, while a fellow RAF ace named Captain Cyril Turner flew in position above New York City. Captain Turner wrote “HELLO USA CALL VANDERBILT 7200” in white smoke. Over 47,000 people called the number, which was the Vanderbilt Hotel where George Hill was staying. Hill became convinced that John Savage’s commercials would work well to promote his Lucky Strike® cigarettes.
Skywriting has continued to grow in popularity as both an advertising medium and a personal messaging service. Customers could request anything from “Eat at Joe’s” to “Will You Marry Me?” Messages and slogans should of course remain short, but even a simple phone number could generate many curious potential customers for a small investment.
The expansion of the national highway system after World War II spelled the beginning of the end for the skywriting industry. Instead of posting a few words to a fickle sky, advertisers can now fill entire billboards with all kinds of graphics. An audience of thousands would pass these new billboards each day, as opposed to the precious few who would encounter a typical heaven writing message. Many airline advertising companies have instead turned to permanent banners pulled behind low-flying aircraft.
Some skywriting is still done today, although only a select number of pilots retain the necessary skills for the job. The smoke is usually created by judiciously spraying paraffin oil directly onto the hot engine manifold near the tail section of the aircraft. The pilot decides when a smoke is needed to draw a section of one letter at a time. A ground spotter can also assist the pilot during more complicated manoeuvres.
The choreography involved in traditional skywriting can be challenging. Modern skytyping, on the other hand, requires constant training but no letter writing maneuvers. The puffs of smoke are released according to a master program in a computer. This method allows for simple graphics and more elaborate messages, though it lacks the bold look of traditional skywriting.
