Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

DAB — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 19:43:43 GMT

The Wright Brothers had an open forum and open flight test.

The publicity they gathered made sure that there were plenty of witnesses and documented flights.

If Pearse did fly first, then he, then he deserves a mention, but since there is limited documentation I doubt that much will change from the official view.

His accomplishment done in private and in a out of the way location like New Zealand works against him.

Face it, most of the world did not even know New Zealand existed until after the Lord of the Rings movies.

Out of mind, out of the record books..

DAB

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

johnbeetem — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 04:08:19 GMT

I took a look at Louis Blériot's Wikipedia page (Blériot was the first to fly across the English Channel) and discovered that he was inspired by Clément Ader's steam-powered Avion III which may or may not have flown in 1897. Here is the Avion III:

And here is Louis Blériot:

You can get a lot of lift from a moustache like that.

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

Problemchild — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 00:18:52 GMT

Yeah it's well known that the Kiwi did it first, also if you are talking "powered"flight then you could argue that some Brit did it but that was unmanned but as I remember used a steam engine of a sort...some one help me with the guy's name?!?!?!

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

johnbeetem — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 00:16:38 GMT

I imagine that a lot of early flying machines were something like Monty Python's "Flying Man" introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3By2lLHgEA

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

bluescreen — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 23:18:43 GMT

Interesting how the difference came down to control. I would have thought it would be the presence of an onboard motor.

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

bluescreen — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 21:10:46 GMT

You know, I just finished reading David McCullough's new book "The Wright Brothers." Not a single mention of Pearse to be found.

RE: Did the Wright Brothers really invent powered flight?

clem57 — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 21:03:59 GMT

Oh Mark, you had to point out OUR history is wrong. [View:/resized-image/__size/16x16/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-1e886398-b237-498f-b8ba-30a0ff55864b/contentimage_5F00_938.png:16:16] Not the first time history is different depending on the country. But interesting never the less. BTW no post yet.

Clem