Posted on 12/17/2024 12:27:02 PM PST by vaskypilot
December 17, 1903
Three days later, they were ready for the second attempt. The 27-mph wind was harder than they would have liked, since their predicted cruising speed was only 30-35 mph. The headwind would slow their groundspeed to a crawl, but they proceeded anyway. With a sheet, they signaled the volunteers from the nearby lifesaving station that they were about to try again. Now it was Orville's turn.
Remembering Wilbur's experience, he positioned himself and tested the controls. The stick that moved the horizontal elevator-controlled climb and descent. The cradle that he swung with his hips warped the wings and swung the vertical tails, which in combination turned the machine. A lever controlled the gas flow and airspeed recorder. The controls were simple and few, but Orville knew it would take all his finesse to handle the new and heavier aircraft.
At 10:35, he released the restraining wire. The flyer moved down the rail as Wilbur steadied the wings. Just as Orville left the ground, John Daniels from the lifesaving station snapped the shutter on a preset camera, capturing the historic image of the airborne aircraft with Wilbur running alongside. Again, the flyer was unruly, pitching up and down as Orville overcompensated with the controls. But he kept it aloft until it hit the sand about 120 feet from the rail. Into the 27-mph wind, the groundspeed had been 6.8 mph, for a total airspeed of 34 mph. The brothers took turns flying three more times that day, getting a feel for the controls and increasing their distance with each flight. Wilbur's second flight - the fourth and last of the day – was an impressive 852 feet in 59 seconds.
(Excerpt) Read more at nps.gov ...
Oh, so, you are just going to determine their blood relations for them. I get it, you are a Bloodist! Maybe they want to be cousins instead?? Huh? Every figure that? Maybe they want to be thought of as husband and wife?? Hmmm???
Thanks.
My grandfather was born in 1880, before the invention of radio or automobiles, was an adult by the time of the Wright Brothers first flight, and lived long enough to watch men orbit the moon live on television. He died after Apollo 8 (the first human lunar orbit), but before Apollo 11 (the first human moon landing).
I still vividly remember watching the Apollo launches with him when I was a child. I hope that I live long enough to see men walk on the moon again.
Undoubtedly, they were just two white dudes who stole the credit from the real inventor, some now forgotten person of color (probably a tranny of color).
The same cannot be said of Langley ...
Yep. Amazing American Men.
I went hang gliding there...:)
Flying downwind reduces airspeed over the wings. Airspeed over the wings is the vector sum of the aircraft's ground speed and the wind speed. Thus, taking off downwind subtracts from your airspeed, catastrophically reducing lift. Taking off downwind is a good way to turn your nice airplane into a fireball. That's generally frowned upon ...
Physics is a cruel mistress.
And Langley failed. Life has not changed.
My dad told me he grew up next door to their sister and would see Orville sitting on her porch. This was in the 20’s-30’s.
My career spanned 46 years. from a Piper J-3 “Cub,” to a Piper “Aztec.
In between I flew USAF then UAL, US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
I, too, recommend Dayton, (The Air Force Museum). If you can, try to arrange a visit to the Wright Paterson AFB, on Base Museum. This museum has all of the “Presidential , Air Force ONE planes except current ones and President Ronald Reagans,” and many experimental ones as well.
(X-15 XB-70 Valkyrie}
The National Park Service also has a sight in Dayton, Ohio.
https://www.nps.gov/daav/index.htm
I agree the USAF Museum is great.
The Wright Brothers would have been gone anywhere without their mechanic Charle Taylor.
https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/charles-e-taylor
The first flight was less then the wingspan of a 747.
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