Editorial - December 2003

The Wright stuff

Published December 19, 2003

America celebrated the Wright brothers’ first flight centennial Wednesday with more than 30,000 people descending on the Kill Devil Hills memorial along with the President of the United States. Former astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong  were on hand, as well as actor John Travolta, flight enthusiasts from across the nation and many who just wanted to get a taste of real American history. Never mind that the carefully constructed replica didn’t made it off the ground. If they were here, Orville and Wilbur Wright would have told the re-enactors there wasn’t enough wind.

The Wright brothers’ story is fascinating in that it goes to the heart of American initiative and enterprise. The Wright brothers knew exactly what they were doing on Dec. 17, 1903. They ran a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio — maybe the kind of work an engineer of the 1900s would do. They knew there was a way to defy gravity if they follow the principles of control and equilibrium, and provide a power source. Kill Devil Hills was chosen because they needed a soft landing spot, wind, and plenty of room to move around a 600-pound machine. They also found a friendly community, intrigued and supportive of their mission. The first attempt was actually on Dec. 14, but was not considered a success because the plane rose 15 feet and then quickly dropped to the ground. That flight lasted three seconds. It was on Dec. 17 when the plane actually went into the air on its own, traveling around 80 feet in 12 seconds. In the repeat tries of that day, the plane executed a convincing defiance of gravity, traveling more than 800 feet for 59 seconds.

The spectacular advancements in aeronautics during the next 100 years are well documented, including a manned landing on the moon. The future holds even more marvels but we will always remember that first flight and two brothers with the right stuff. As President Bush observed, “The Wright brothers’ invention belongs to the world. But the Wright brothers belong to America.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

Terms and Conditions