Happy Wright Brothers Day

ScottM

ScottM

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iBazinga!
In the late 19th century, after a civil war, two brothers were born to an Ohio Bishop. Together, those two brothers would change the world.

Today is the day we commemorate their drive and vision that created a world of powered flight. It was 17 December 1903 at Kill Devil Hills that Orville took to the skies in the first powered flight. Wilbur would fly later that day setting a distance record. Today we should all take a moment to thank them for what they did for our obsession.
 
If the weather clears I will make a lap around the pattern in their memory.. That only seems fitting ya know.:cheerswine:
 
While it is more commonly held that this day is the anniversary of the accomplishments of the esteemed Wright brothers, in actuality it is Tony Condom-CFI Day.
 
Some Wright Bros trivia.

That famous photograph. At the last minute before their 4th flight, Orville had asked one of his mechanics (not C. Taylor) to man the camera and snap the shot when Orville hollered, "Now!" Our man was quite excited and in his haste he snapped the picture before Orville shouted out. Realizing he acted prematurely, he also accidently knocked the camera to the ground.

That man had never before taken a picture and the camera used had not taken a picture before or since.
 
Richard said:
Some Wright Bros trivia.

That famous photograph. At the last minute before their 4th flight, Orville had asked one of his mechanics (not C. Taylor) to man the camera and snap the shot when Orville hollered, "Now!" Our man was quite excited and in his haste he snapped the picture before Orville shouted out. Realizing he acted prematurely, he also accidently knocked the camera to the ground.

That man had never before taken a picture and the camera used had not taken a picture before or since.
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Just an FYI the famous photo is of the first flight, not the 4th.

Wiki said:
The first flight, by Orville, of 120 feet (37 m) in 12 seconds, at a speed of only 6.8 miles per hour (10.9 km/h) over the ground, was recorded in a famous photograph
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Richard said:
Some Wright Bros trivia.

That famous photograph. At the last minute before their 4th flight, Orville had asked one of his mechanics (not C. Taylor) to man the camera and snap the shot when Orville hollered, "Now!" Our man was quite excited and in his haste he snapped the picture before Orville shouted out. Realizing he acted prematurely, he also accidently knocked the camera to the ground.

That man had never before taken a picture and the camera used had not taken a picture before or since.
Click to expand...

Also it wasn't a mechanic. It was one of the guys from the life saving station down the beach. Moving the AC in and out of the hanger and back to the launch rail was a difficult. Having befreinded the locals and the lifeguards at the lifesaving station, when the Wrights were going to be flying and needed help, they would hang out a signal flag. Three guys from the life saving station, two guys from town and one kid that skipped school showed up to help that day. One of the guys from the life saving station was asked to take the picture. I don't think he knew if he was premature or not... he wasn't even sure he took the pictures. (according to the talk I heard at first flight in October given by the park rangers when Ma & I went)
 
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BZ Wright Brothers. Thanks for all the joy I find in flight. Tonight I will raise a glass because I will not be able to go flying today.
 
Missa said:
Also it wasn't a mechanic. It was one of the guys from the life saving station down the beach. Moving the AC in and out of the hanger and back to the launch rail was a difficult. Having befreinded the locals and the lifeguards at the lifesaving station, when the Wrights were going be flying and needed help, they would hang out a signal flag. Three guys from the life saving station and two guys from town and one kid that skipped school showed up to help that day. One of the guys from the life saving station was asked to take the picture. I don't think he knew if he was premature or not... he wasn't even sure he took the pictures. (according to the talk I heard at first flight in October given by the park rangers when Ma & I went)
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For the first picture, I think you are right on that.
 
A monumentous occasion in history. What I find significantly more amazing is how far we came in the following 50 years. The aircraft that were born, the people who designed them, and those who flew them, all have great historical importance.

I'm not flying today (no time, sadly), but I will raise a glass tonight.
 
At least we remember.

Dec 7 (1941) passed with nary a mention. FDR was wrong. It did not live in infamy forever. It got forgot.
 
Not only were they the first to fly, they invented hanger flying! Can you imagine the excitement they felt?
 
Not forgotten here - who was a 6 year old who remembers VJ day celebration at the neighborhood bar - boy were they blowing off steam, especially those in uniform and home on leave, it mean't they would get to live... Even at 6 I understood that...

denny-o
 
Oh yeah, and the Wrights... They did what the governments of multiple countries could not do and did it on a shoestring... Amazing, just plain amazing...

denny-o
 
Missa and Scott, thank you for the corrections. I guess I'm officially old if I can forget details like that. I was at the Centennial celebration too. And while we were standing in the drenching cold rain, Tony was becoming an official CFI. I think that very cool for him.

The typo was intentional. I was having a bit of fun. Apparently it is not appreciated as much as it once was.

Doc, while many of us here did not forget, it is to be lamented that much of America apparently has. In 3 newspapers I found nary an article, not even a footnote in the daily On This Day In History. This includes one paper currently running a series of articles about McArthur's march up the islands. A shame it what that is.
 
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Richard said:
Missa and Scott, thank you for the corrections. I guess I'm officially old if I can forget details like that. I was at the Centennial celebration too.
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Only reason it's clearer to me, is I was there two months ago... give it a few years and I will be fuzzy on it too. :rolleyes:
 
Noah Adams (from All Things Considered) wrote a very good book on the Wright Brothers titled The Flyers. I listened to it as a book on tape, read by the author. I should go out and get a copy again!
 
They are my heroes, they endured many hardships to give us Roll, pitch and Yaw. The mosquitoes, the wind, the cold, all of the trials and tribulations, trying to figure out engine, props, warping of the wings. I get upset when some try to put Orville, and Wilbur down, that don't know their story. One guy wrote one time: "Even a rock will fly if you fling it with a catapult". When they had the 100 year celebration in Kill Devils hill in 2003, that is the only film they had on the TV, and they never did explain that was taken in later years, when the brothers were working on their plane in Dayton, OH. We should thank them each time the wheels leave mother earth, and each time they touch back down. I know I sure do.~ ~ ~
 
Ted DuPuis said:
A monumentous occasion in history. What I find significantly more amazing is how far we came in the following 50 years.
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Yes indeed. And what's equally amazing is how, in so many areas, we went nowhere over the next 50 years.
 
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