Lancecastor
Lit's Most Beloved Poster
- Joined
- May 14, 2002
- Posts
- 54,670
Amazing stuff that until 99 years ago today nobody had ever flown a powered machine....
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At Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk on North Carolina's Outer Banks, descendants of six of the eight witnesses to the first flight, at 10:35 a.m. on Dec. 17, 1903, placed a half-dozen wreaths at the foot of a 1928 monument in the Wright Brothers National Memorial marking the spot where the Flyer took off.
An audience of about 2,000 watched as the 99 aircraft flew over in the same weather conditions that drew the Wright brothers to the North Carolina coast strong, sustained wind and a clear sky. A solo parachutist spiraled to earth trailing red smoke, followed by members of the Army's Golden Knights parachute team who glided to earth about 50 feet from the granite marker where the first flight ended.
It seemed unlikely that two bicycle makers from Dayton could change the world as they did on that winter day 99 years ago. Orville, who won the honor in a coin toss to become the first powered pilot, piloted the Wright Flyer 120 feet along the dunes, staying aloft for 12 seconds. It was the first of four short flights that day; the longest was 852 feet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk on North Carolina's Outer Banks, descendants of six of the eight witnesses to the first flight, at 10:35 a.m. on Dec. 17, 1903, placed a half-dozen wreaths at the foot of a 1928 monument in the Wright Brothers National Memorial marking the spot where the Flyer took off.
An audience of about 2,000 watched as the 99 aircraft flew over in the same weather conditions that drew the Wright brothers to the North Carolina coast strong, sustained wind and a clear sky. A solo parachutist spiraled to earth trailing red smoke, followed by members of the Army's Golden Knights parachute team who glided to earth about 50 feet from the granite marker where the first flight ended.
It seemed unlikely that two bicycle makers from Dayton could change the world as they did on that winter day 99 years ago. Orville, who won the honor in a coin toss to become the first powered pilot, piloted the Wright Flyer 120 feet along the dunes, staying aloft for 12 seconds. It was the first of four short flights that day; the longest was 852 feet.
