without any disrespect for Orville, Wilbur and things american, there is a gentleman -immortalised in OZ in some of our past currency and stamps - who really got the kite flying.
From Google
Lawrence Hargrave
1850-1915
The Wright brothers had access to Hargrave's work through the aviation annuals published by James Means, and Octave Chanute's Progress in Flying Machines.
Chanute, who corresponded with the Wright brothers, devoted a section of his book to Hargrave's experiments. But the Wright brothers, constrained by politics and patent problems of their time, admitted no influences
as far as test flying goes, I'll go with Hanna Reitsch and especially John Glenn when things got a bit outa hand on his flight - up there.