[R W Reactionairy]

Unfamiliar with Whitehead, but the Wright Brothers developed controlled flight. They understood the principles.

The advance from an unpowered glider rolling down a ramp to a powered but uncontrolled wing is not IMO that notable a leap.

[pabianice]

The newspaper accounts claim that he made many controlled flights covering circular and figure-eight courses. Photos will eventually be found. That is hardly an “uncontrollable wing.” Replicas have been flying since 1980.