OCR Text |
Show 0 Hilltop Times 2003 January 16 4 - MS "V, - I . -- , ?t : 1 r . f iff'! Orville Wright lies across the aircraft wing during his historic flight on Dec. 17, 1903. The flight by man. flight was the first heavler-than-air, motor-powere- 120-foo- t, d Few understood impact of historic first flight To commemorate 2003 as the centennial ofpowered flight, the Hilltop Times is publishing aviation history articles throughout the year, written and compiled by the Ogden ALC History Office. C0QDCUDCDS compiled by Courtney Hall Ogden ALC History Office caaa am aaoaai gseidsj Orville and Wilbur Wright are well known as the men who successfully flew the first powered airplane near Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 1903. Wilburwas born in Millville, Ind., April 16, 1867. The family moved soon afterward to Dayton, Ohio, where Orville was born Aug. 16, 1871. The brothers were very close both were nonsmok-er- s and teetotalers, neither brother married, and both remained active in the field until their deaths and shared several enterprises before their -making flight. Their father, a United Brethren Church bishop, was interested in scientific invention and tinkered with a primitive typewriter. Their mother, a college graduate in mathematics, was interested in science and allowed her sons to use her kitchen for Extra eye protection doesn't mean having boring sunglasses. history- you've been looking for that one special frame that is uniquely you, see us today. Eye Works has over 60 designer lines to choose from. We have one for your personality and price range. If SOME ARE EXCLUSIVE TO EYE WORKS 'EYE WORKS 4387 Harrison Blvd. Harrison Depot Ogden "TSF" 479-110- 0 experiments. While operating a weekly newspaper and a bicycle repair shop in the 1880s and 1890s, the Wright brothers developed an interest in flying. They read every available source on the problems of aerodynamics, including Octave Chanute's book, a work by L.R Mouillard written in 1881, and pamphlets from the Smithsonian Institution. This study formed the basis for their careful and logical experiments. Because of the closeness of the brothers, no authority is able to clearly state which brother might have been more responsible for their success or which invented what parts of their planes. The Wrights built a Chanute-typ- e glider, then wrote to the Weather Bureau asking about the best test location. The Weather Bureau suggested the outer banks of step-by-ste- ! p LzCentennial 1 W it After correcting rudder control problems was balanced too near the center and turned too far in both directions when the pilot tried to Wilbur flew the plane again at direct the flight rudder With noon. better control, the plane flew in 59 seconds. A sh;up for 852 level and feet straight of wind, however, began the pitching antic gust of the plane again, causing Wilbur to land it. In the landing, the front rudder frame was slightly damaged, but no other damage was done. It was a triumphant day forthe Wrights orfor;uiy who had borne the scorn of the doubtful that flight would ever be possible. The Wrights telegraphed their father in Dayton, telling him to call the newspapers and announce their flight success. A few Dayton papers ran the announcement, but without comment. Most pajxrs ignored the news, assuming it was a hoax, as other claims had been. The skepticism of the press and lack of public acclaim didn't discourage the brothers. They took the plane home to Dayton, and continued their experiments. They didn't consider their historic only a flights of Dec. 17, 1903, a final triumph beginning. They built a second airplane with an airframe similar to the first, but powered by a engine. During 1904, the Wrights made 105 flights, altogether, some 20 miles. The Wrights were interested in proving their ability to fly. In May 1904, they invited newspapers to send reporters to view an exhibition flight. The brothers stipulated that they didn't want sensational publicity, but simply wanted the true story of their achievement put before the public. They specifically requested that no photographs be taken of the plane. They had applied to the U.S. Patent Office in March 1903 for a patent on their plane design, but the patent hadn't yet been awarded. The Wrights feared that someone with aircraft North Carolina, and the Wrights selected Kill Devil Hills,a place of high, natural sand dunes, a few miles from the settlement of Kitty Hawk. As the Weather Bureau had declared, its natural winds were ideal for glider experimentation. The Wright brothers concentrated on the glider at Kill Devil Hills for three seasons, setting new glider records during their experiments. In 1901, in a biplane with vertical tail, they glided 389 feet with proper balance in a In 1902, their third flew successfully 1,000 times. glider a biplane with a was It, too, wingspread, but now equipped with a movable tail used as a rudder control. design knowledge might view the Wilbur Wright 32-fo- ot Enjoy nirt :.':3s more .wVuiiw. io . r hassle of having to wear glasses. Ite' Enjoy the benefits of possibly never having to wear contacts or glasses ever again. Act now by calling The Clayson Eye Center and take advantage of this special offer. FREE CONSULTATION if you are a candidate for LASIK Refractive Procedure Call 387-355- 0 today! J - 0?iLY VISION CORRECTION e The degree of vision correction may vary 0gm. Cost may be slightly in some patients. higher for patients with greater refractive error. r-W "t n T" tmlk RWEJ YS 4, , Nr At The Clayson Eye Center you always get the QUALITY of refractive surgical care that you have come to expect from Dr. Clayson and his professional staff since 1984. Clayson EYE CENTER Fred. E. Clayson, M.D. 4403 Harrison Blvd., Suite 3600 Ogden Hospital Center) (level three of the new McKay-De- e The pilot lay prone across the lower wing invitation to view a flight Fifty reporters during flight During the winter months, arrived in Dayton and flocked to the the Wrights worked with a wind tunrather muddy meadow, eight miles nel in Dayton. out of the city, which the brothers had After their final season at Kill Devil named Simms Station Flying Field. Hills, convinced they were ready with It was the skeptical reporters that the airframe, they returned to Dayton returned home that day with their to design and build a gasoline engine skepticism intact. The Wright plane, to power the craft. despite its engine, was still, essentially, In September 1903, the Wrights a glider. It required a strong wind to Orville Wright returned to North Carolina to test their provide enough lift to help it off the wind was blowing only gentle three or powered biplane. The wings, slightly warped with The ground. vertical bars and diagonal wire truss supports, four miles an hour. And that day the engine sputtered were 612 feet wide, 6 feet apart, and had a span and failed as the plane reached takeoff speed. It didn't of more than 40 feet It had front and rear rudder fly. controls and weighed 750 pounds. They had designed The Wrights knew before the attempt that it probwater-coole- d and built a gasoline engine. ably wouldn't succeed, but faced with that specially It had no sparkplugs, but used a fuel injection gathered audience, they could only try. They tried at 1,200 revsystem, and developed ag;iin the next day before a handful of the reporters olutions per minute. A drive shaft from the cylinwho were willing to give them the benefit of the der turned a gear, resembling a bicycle sprocket, doubt about lack of wind and a faulty engine. connected to a second, smaller gear by a bicycle This time the plane became airborne, but again chain. The second gear revolved a flywheel that the engine failed. The plane glided some 60 feet, turned two propellers by a system of revolving but didn't exhibit powered flight. The reporters belts and pulleys. left, agreeing with their previously departed felBad weather and mechanical preparations postlows that the Wright claim was nothing new. poned testing until Dec. 14, 1903. The Wright brothEven with no public sense of their achievement, ers enlisted the aid of a local lifesaving station to the Wright brothers continued to fly. In Septemslide the plane up the highest dune at Kill Devil ber 1904, they devised an innovative method of takHills. With Wilbur as pilot the plane was catapulted ing off. To provide the aircraft a head start in from a launching ramp but rose too rapidly into a acceleration, they catapulted it into the air from a fierce wind, stalled, and fell to the ground. The plane derrick. By Sept. 15, their control system and was only slightly damaged. Oi ville's flying ability were such that he was able The Wrights made repairs and early in the mornto turn the plane in flight. On Sept. 20, Orville flew ing of Dec. 17 tested the plane again. Anorth wind, the plane in a complete circle. IMore Dec. 17, 1904, some 25 miles an hour, was blowing when the broththe first anniversary of their initial flight, Orville ers and the men from the lifesaving station had the flew a sustained distance of three miles in five minplane in place on the dune. utes and one second. At 10:35 am., Orville lay in place across the wing. The Wrights continued tocxixriment with planes, The engine was started, allowed to warm for a few not just to amuse themselves but for the fact that moments, then the rope anchoring the plane to the they saw a future for the planes. They believed flyground was released. The plane steadily increased ing had a definite future and saw the military value in speed and lifted into the air. It rose to 120 feet of the airplane. in a flight. Wilbur piloted the second Some information taken from "1001 Questions flight, which took place immediately. The plane Answered About Aviation History," by Charles H. rose 195 feet in 1 1 seconds. The third trial, with Hildreth and Bernard C. Nalty. Orville again the pilot, accomplished 200 feet in 1 5 Next: the War Department considers buy- 387-355- 0 seconds. copy! pho- tographs and effectively copy their plane's specifications. Their fears weren't ungrounded even c'ifter the patent was granted on May 22, 1906 (No. 821,393), there was some pirating of their design. This resulted in a series of lawsuits. The press answered the Wright's tv L To see of Flight ing aircraft designed by the Wright brothers. |