A Leap of Faith
By
ROB MIXON
n December 17, 2003, data that allowed them to build an airfoil and wing that could lift a man there will be a celebra into the air by powered flight. They tion of the Wright produced the first reliable table of air brothers and the first powered , controlled flight of an air pressures on curved surfaces. They also designed and bu ilt their own plane from level ground. lightweight engine-not bad for two December 17, 1903, near Kitty brothers who never completed high Hawk, North Carolina, two brothers walked the sands pulling a strange contraption. Like Thomas Edison and inventors before, some thought them '~ ;7l'~ to be insane. In fact, only four spec tators lined the route of the first ~-..o"'~ flight of a power-driven, heavier-than air flying machine. That flight was to be a total of 120 feet and lasted for a total time of 12 seconds. Of the three other flights accomplished that Rob Mixon's Chanute-style hang day, the longest was 852 feet and glider, which he flew in the 1970s. lasted 59 seconds. The glider had an N number, and The Wrights had studied glider when asked by the FAA for its flights done by others. These flights method of launch, the FAA got flew down the sides of hills using up quite a kick out of Rob's reply: slope air currents to keep them aloft. "Leap off a cliff. " Three flights were Another earlier glider designer, Otto made, until damage to the landing Lilienthal, was killed during a glider gear (a sprained ankle) prevented crash in 1896. further flights. Wilber presented a paper to the Western Society of Engineers on Sep school. In all fairness, the higher tember 18, 1901. He made reference mathematics and education were ob tained through home study. to Lilienthal: It is said that anyone can count "Otto Lilienthal seems to be the the seeds of an apple , but to count first man who really comprehended that balancing was the first instead the fruit of the seed is pure faith. Perhaps it is the early demonstra of the last of the great problems con nected with human flight. He built a tion of the Wright brothers ' faith pair of wings of a size suitable to that enabled us and paved the way sustain his own weight , and made . for a man to walk on the moon , and use of gravity as his motor. This mo before that to fly faster than the speed of sound! tor not only cost him nothing to begin with , but it required no expensive Their faith was reinforced by ob fuel while in operation , and never servation and evidence, as Wilbur ' s had to be sent to the shop for re presentation to the Western Society of Engineers illustrates. He speaks pairs. It had one serious drawback ... that the man should first betake him of dropping a piece of paper held par allel to the ground. self and machine to the top of a hill and fly with downward as well as for "The person who merely watches ward motions." the flight of a bird gathers the im The Wrights made a wind tunnel in pression that the bird has nothing their shop that gave them access to to think of but the flapping of its
O
--l-~-~__L /
wings. As a matter of fact , this is a very small part of its mental labor. If I take this piece of paper, and after placing it parallel with the ground , quickly let it fall , it will not settle steadily down as a staid, sensible piece of paper ought to do , but it in sists on contravening eve r y recognized rule of decorum, turning over and darting hither and thither in the most erratic manner, much af ter the style of an untrained horse. Yet this is the style of a steed that man must learn to manage before flying can become an everyday sport. Now, there are two ways of learning to ride a fractious horse: one is to get on him and learn by ac tual practice how each motion and trick may be best met; the other is to sit on a fence and watch the beast a while , and then retire to the house and at leisure f igure out the best way of overcoming his jumps and kicks. The latter system is the safest, but the former, on the whole , turns out the larger proportion of good riders. It is very much the same in learning to ride a flying ma chine. If you are looking for perfect safety, you will do well to sit on a fence and watch the birds; but if you really wish to learn, you must mount a machine and become acquainted with its tricks by actual trial. " The Wright brothers first recog nized that balance is important , then they pulled their machine into the air as a kite , then they accom plished gliding experiments, and then powered flight. It is said that anyone can count the seeds of an apple; but to count the fruit of the seed is pure faith! Ref: Roger E. Bilstein , " Wright Brothers, " World Book Online Ameri cas Edition (a paid subscription service), www.worldbookonline.com. November 18, 2002 . VINTAGE AIRPLANE
21