Publication: Air Power History
Publication Date: 22-DEC-02
Format: Online - approximately 6002 words
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: Ennels, Jerome A.
Article Excerpt
By early 1910, the monopoly the Wright brothers held on the flying market was being seriously challenged by other inventors of flying machines. In hopes of retaining at least a reasonable share of the financially promising aviation industry, the brothers formed a touring company to conduct flying exhibitions to promote the sale of their airplane over those of their ambitious competitors. For this they needed pilots to fly the exhibition flights they wanted to begin that summer. But, at a time when there were fewer than ten fully qualified aviators in the world, the only way to obtain pilots was to train them. With the weather in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio, too cold and windy for aviation training, Wilbur began touring the South in February 1910, in search of an area conducive to flight training during early spring. (1)
His journey took him to several southern cities before he finally decided that Montgomery, Alabama, had the genial climate and suitable grounds they needed. After visiting several locations in the area, he selected a former cotton plantation just west of the city as the site for their school. Frank Kohn, the owner of the property, offered him free use of the land for three months. The Montgomery Commercial Club then agreed to build a hangar on the property, furnish transportation to the field, and clear the land of trees and undergrowth within three square miles of the area. Wilbur immediately accepted the offers and sent a telegram to his brother telling him to "pack up a machine and send it to Montgomery." He left for Dayton that evening where he and his brother completed the arrangements for opening the nation's first civilian flying school. (2)
Opening the School
Packed in seven large crates, the Wright biplane arrived by train in Montgomery on March 15. Four days later, Charles Taylor, the Wrights' mechanic and long-time friend, also arrived in the city. With him were two students, Walter R. Brookins from Dayton and James W. Davis of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Orville Wright arrived in Montgomery on the morning of March 24 with Spencer Crane, a third student and also a family friend. Wilbur, who had come to Montgomery to locate the sight, remained in Ohio. (3)
Charles had already assembled the airplane, so Orville's first order of business was to build a nearly 200-foot monorail, a device used to assist the biplane during takeoffs. Since the plane normally took off into the wind, the rail consisted of sixteen-foot sections that could be assembled easily and dismantled for shifting, as necessary. Under the wings was "a platform that had skate wheels" that "rolled along the ramp" until the airplane got up enough speed for the wind to lift it gently into the air. Though a weighted catapult or starting derrick was sometimes used to assist during takeoffs, none was constructed for the Montgomery launches. (4)
The next day, Orville made a major change to the airplane's tail assembly. For the first time, he attached a horizontal plane behind the two upright stabilizers located to the rear. It was similar in size and shape to the front elevators and affixed in such a way that it could be moved easily up or down, at the pilot's bidding. He hoped the change would "simplify the handling of the aeroplane" and improve the aircraft's stability. It was the first significant modification to the Wright flying machine since its first successful flight nearly seven years earlier. (5)
After making final adjustments, Orville was satisfied the plane was ready to fly. Late on the evening of March 26, he and his assistants moved the biplane from the hangar and placed it on the monorail. Conditions for the pending flight were ideal with "the wind blowing about eight miles per hour." Orville took his seat at the controls as two of his assistants held opposite sides of the wings to help balance the aircraft. Then the throbbing drone of the engine's pistons was heard and soon the plane began moving down the track with the two men running alongside. Gradually, the plane began lifting from the rail and soon it was airborne, "ascending in a long graceful curve." Within minutes, it reached a speed of about forty miles per hour and climbed to an altitude of about fifty feet. "Under perfect control," the local newspaper later reported, "it followed the hand of Orville Wright turning, descending at his bidding." The airplane remained aloft for about five minutes before landing with a hard thump and skidd ing slowly to a stop. Montgomery's first powered flight was history. (6)
Following a quick check over, the men wasted no time in getting the plane back in the air. The second flight lasted about as long as the first before the airplane made another uneventful landing. During both flights, Orville was primarily "interested in the handling characteristics of the biplane with the modified tail assembly." Though he was basically satisfied with the new rudder system, he indicated "one or two changes must be made as to the engine, to adjust it to the change in the system of rudders." With these modifications, Orville announced that "bolder flights will be made Monday" since his religious upbringing precluded flying on Sundays. (7)
The next day the local newspaper, heralded the historic event. "A strange new bird soared over the cabins...and cotton fields to the west of Montgomery Saturday afternoon," the Montgomery Advertiser reported. "It was the graceful aeroplane of Orville Wright, guided by the hand of the pioneer of the skies...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
More articles from
Air Power History
Modern warfare: desert storm, operation Iraqi freedom and operation enduring freedom, 22-DEC-07
Books received, 22-SEP-07
The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the First Indochina War, 1947-1959, 22-SEP-07
Looking for additional articles?
Click here to search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Click here to search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company analysis or best practices in managing your organization, Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible, authoritative information they need to support their business goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting, company research or defining management best practices - Goliath is your leading source for accurate information. |
