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A CENTURY of FLIGHT P a G E

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A CENTURY of FLIGHT P a G E \"1,.\) l'L' 0 I��· A CENTURY OF FLIGHT P a g e ILTON WRIGHT, A BISHOP IN THE U !TED BRETHREN CHURCH, was at his horne in Dayton, Ohio, on the afternoon of 17 December 1903 when he received a startling Western Un ion telegramfrom his two sons, Willlur (born in Millville, Indiana) and Orville. The telegram,from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, informed the bishop that his sons had made fo ur successfulfli ghts that same morning. The message went on to say that the flights were made "all against twenty one mile wind started from Level with enginepower aloneaver age speed through air thirty one miles longest 57 seconds informPress home Christmas. "In his diary, Milton Wright wrote that although some newspapers had "flaming headlines " trumpeting his sons' achievement, both the Dayton Journal and Cincinnati Tribune printednothin g about the flights, "though Ifu rnished press reporters the news. " On that brisk winter morning, Orvi lle Wright, examines the groundbreaking work of Wright brothers' dressed as usual in a business suit, tie, and starched mentor Octave Chanute. In June 1896 and September collar, had shaken hands with Wilbur before climbing 1897, Chanute made numerous experiments in flight with aboard the brother ' 1903 Wright Flyer, powered by a gliders at the sand dunes in northwestern Indiana. His twelve-horsepower engine built at Purdue University. research proved to be invaluable to budding aeronauts. As Wilbur ran alongside the craft to steady its right Wilbur Wtight oftensought Chanute's advice in an attempt wing tip, Orville piloted the machine fo r a flight that to perfect the brothers' flying machine, noting that the lasted only twelve seconds and traveled only 120 feet. problem of flight was "too great for one man alone and Both brother , however, realized the true worth of the unaided to solve in secret." Also, to celebrate the cen­ occasion. As Orville noted, the flight marked "the first tennial, beginning on 16 April 2003 the Indiana Hi to tical in the hi tory of the world in which a machine carry­ Society will host the exhibition Indiana, Amelia Earhart, ing a man had raised itself by it own power into the and the Centennial of Flight. The exhibition fe atures The air in fu ll flight, had sailed fo rward with the reduction Early Birds, a mural on the history of aviation painted by of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as Indianapolis native Justin Gruelle (also profiled in this that from which it started." The brothers made three issue) and a collection of Earhart matetial from Purdue subsequent flights-the last covering approximately University Libraries. Libraries and schools can also learn 850 fe et-before a strong gust of wind toppled the more about Indiana' connection to flight through class­ aircraft, wrecking it beyond repair. room and library program kits from the Society, made By October 1905 the Wright Brothers had perfected possible by support from the Indiana To mi m Divi ion their machine to such a degree that it flew fo r more than and the Aviation Association of Indiana. twenty miles in thirty-eight minutes. With accomplish­ On a national level, numerous groups and insti­ ment, however, came risks. These r-iskswere highlighted tutions will be celebrating aviation history during in September 1908 during flight te ts of an aircraft fo r 2003. The fe derally sponsored U.S. Centennial of the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, Virgirtia.Orville, accompanied Flight Commission, charged by Congre s with by Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge, suffered a crash caused encouraging and promoting commemorations of by a broken propeller. Both men were pulled from the the flight centennial, has a comprehensive calen­ wreckage and taken to the fo rt's hospital. Orville recov­ dar of events on its web site at http:/ /www.centen­ ered from his erious injuries, but Selfridge became the nialofflight.gov I calendar_cf/calend ar.cfm. first to die in the crash of a powered aircraft. EDITORS'N077c: Our- thanks go to Sim.ine ShO'rt of Homer Glen, This year marks the centennial of the Wright brothers' fllinois, fo r herhelp in obtaining photographs and information I remarkable fe at. To honor the occasion, this issue of Traces fD'T the Octave Chanute articlein this issue. [RACES Sp1 i ng 2003 3 .
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