Thanks Orville and Wilbur!

Today marks the 100th anniversary of their historic flight.

To say nothing of the scientific achievement, one has to give props (oh yes, pun intended) to a couple of guys, self-taught, working out of their own home to make something that everyone else thought pointless or impossible.

From one geek to another, thanks you guys!

6 replies on “Thanks Orville and Wilbur!”

    • Re: And Wilbur, too!

      Thanks Orville and Wibur!

      Bo hat Wibur Wight wa soe flyr, hu? :-D [/Nitpick]

      Oh bitch, bitch, bitch! :p

  1. congrats
    I say congrats more than thanks. If they hadn’t claimed the prize,
    someone else would have.

    • Re: congrats

      In the wake of the failure of the recreation at Kill Devil Hills, N.C., yesterday, several websites have sprung up claiming that the Wright Brothers never flew, and that the history of aviation since 1903 has, in fact, been an elaborate hoax. Fox is planning a TV special for early 2004.

      : )

      • Re: congrats
        Actually I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brazilians start to question the “first flight” title again based on this. Their aviation hero was apparently the first to publicly demonstrate powered flight, and under more rigorous test conditions. Calling the Wright flight into question would certainly help their claims.

        • Wrights Were First; Everyone Else is Wrong

          Actually I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brazilians start to question the “first flight” title again based on this. Their aviation hero was apparently the first to publicly demonstrate powered flight, and under more rigorous test conditions. Calling the Wright flight into question would certainly help their claims.

          The Wright flight was isolated but it certainly wasn’t secret.

          It was isolated because they needed the weather conditions available on the Outer Banks. If Dayton had provided the right weather, they would have stayed home in their warm, comfortable house, rather than spending several winters in crude, cold huts in Kitty Hawk.

          After the flight, they dispatched a report back to the local Dayton press. They deliberately took photos documenting the event (and had been photographing their glider tests at Kitty Hawk all along — I’ve seen the originals at Wright State University in Ohio). When they returned to Dayton from Kitty Hawk they continued to build and test pilot aircraft at a farm just northeast of the city. No secret keeping there.

          All of this activity is well documented and well photographed, and it all took place after the first flight and before the supposed “first flight” by the Brazilian in 1906.

          The brothers were protective of their efforts because they wanted to acquire enough money to allow them to pursue additional independent aeronautical research, and, importantly, because other people were trying to do the same thing and had been known to steal ideas. They were well aware of their competition.

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