"For some years I have been afflicted with the belief that flight is possible to man. The disease has increased in severity and I feel it will soon cost me an increased amount of money, if not my life."
— Wilbur Wright, beginning of his first letter to Octave Chanute, 13 May 1900
He got that right, particularly the money bit.
Like all novices (in our childhood), we began with the helicopter but soon saw it had no future and dropped it. The helicopter does with great labour only what the balloon does without labour, and is no more fitted than the balloon for rapid horizontal flight. If its engine stops it must fall with deathly violence, for it can neither float like the balloon nor glide like the aeroplane. The helicopter is much easier to design than the aeroplane, but it is worthless when done.
Wilbur Wright, 1907
Well, we know better now.
"We have been real good over here. We have been in a lot of churches, and haven't got drunk yet!"
Orville in France to his father, Bishop Milton Wright, 1907
What else would you tell the Bishop? French gals and wine are tops?