Centenary Of Powered Flight

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THE WRIGHTS TAKE FLIGHT, Dec. 17, 1903

Since the late 1800s, the prospect of powered flight infatuated the country's top scientists and engineers. And then a couple of bike shop owners beat them to the punch. Three days after Wilbur Wright failed to get the Flyer off the ground, brother Orville took controls and flew for 12 seconds at a makeshift hangar at Kill Devil Hills in Kitty Hawk, N.C. The brothers made three more flights that day — the longest by Wilbur was 59 seconds for a distance of 852 feet — before a gust of wind rolled the Flyer over as they were taking it back to camp. The plane was a wreck, but history was already made.

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TIME.com Feature

Since then we've had many aviation milestones, from long distance flights all the way up to the International Space Station and Martian exploration.

I thought a good news story would make a nice change... :)

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Originally posted by uNz[i
,16 December 2003 - 23:04]

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THE WRIGHTS TAKE FLIGHT, Dec. 17, 1903

Since the late 1800s, the prospect of powered flight infatuated the country's top scientists and engineers. And then a couple of bike shop owners beat them to the punch. Three days after Wilbur Wright failed to get the Flyer off the ground, brother Orville took controls and flew for 12 seconds at a makeshift hangar at Kill Devil Hills in Kitty Hawk, N.C. The brothers made three more flights that day — the longest by Wilbur was 59 seconds for a distance of 852 feet — before a gust of wind rolled the Flyer over as they were taking it back to camp. The plane was a wreck, but history was already made.

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TIME.com Feature

Since then we've had many aviation milestones, from long distance flights all the way up to the International Space Station and Martian exploration.

I thought a good news story would make a nice change... :)

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Another good one, uNz.

Sad how the two greatest bicycle mechanics who ever lived, whose status as the originators of flight will be remembered in such low-key ways, just because they are "Old Dead White Guys".

Soon they will disappear from the history books, and by the time the 200th anniversary rolls around, you won't even be able to discover who was first.

Sorry to be negative-I know this wasn't what you were looking for. :huh:

When you first posted your reply J2,

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Sad how the two greatest bicycle mechanics who ever lived, whose status as the originators of flight will be remembered in such low-key ways, just because they are "Old Dead White Guys".

Soon they will disappear from the history books, and by the time the 200th anniversary rolls around, you won't even be able to discover who was first.

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I thought "This is one of humanities greatest achievments. How on earth do you figure it will be forgotten?"
But judging by the amazing lack of responses to this topic from the other board members, I fear you may be right.

It seems that if theres no opportunity for any disagreement, then it's just not worthy of discussion.

Rather a shame, really. :(

It&#39;s a pity the progression from flight to space travel has really slowed down, too busy spending money on wars <_<

Perhaps, but some would argue that military spending is what&#39;s made aviation as reliable and safe as it is today.

Truth be told, the US military funded further development of the Wright Flyer by placing an order for 50 planes. I believe the French government purchased some too.

So if it wasn&#39;t for military spending, things would be very different....

Sad but true.

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Originally posted by junkyardking@18 December 2003 - 00:33
It&#39;s a pity the progression from flight to space travel has really slowed down, too busy spending money on wars <_<

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I think you&#39;re underestimating how fundamentally difficult and dangerous space-flight really is... ;)

It also has alot to do with economics, the benefits of space travel are such long term entities that nobody is prepared to invest the huge sums of money that are required in the short term to make it happen.

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[i]Originally posted by uNz@18 December 2003 - 04:12
...So if it wasn&#39;t for military spending, things would be very different....

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Certainly, as many many things we now take for granted are the result of humans warring upon themselves.

:ninja:

Just found a relevant item on News.com.au... in the offbeat news section. <_<
Wright Bros Re-enactment.

Sadly, the replica Wright flyer turned out to be a fizzer, but George W and John "moon man" Travolta add comic relief. :rolleyes:


Edit: Typo

http://www.destination.co.nz/temuka/pearse.htm.

it&#39;s possible that a new zealander beat the wright brothers to it

even earlier than that

Yeah, I&#39;ve heard of the New Zealand Farmer, Richard Pearse.
Apparently he made his plane in his barn using bits of fencing wire and an old bedstead :lol:
Never heard about the other guy though, thanks for the link :)

Maybe the Wright bros should just go down in history as the first men ever to successfully patent a powered airoplane?

Since the 17th Dec, I&#39;ve seen a bunch of documentaries covering the centenary of powered flight, and most of them have been produced in the US, unsurprisingly.

I couldn&#39;t help noticing the way the producers of many of these shows want to portray the Wright bros (and therefore America) as the first to ever fly, period.

It&#39;s like they have a total blind spot when it comes to folks like Montgolfier or Zeppelin.

:frusty: