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Old 24th Feb 2010, 05:52
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tail wheel
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From stepwilk's post:
What was the first airplane with wheels...
I suspect he is referring to powered, pilot controlled flight. If he is including tethered craft and gliders I'm sure someone put wheels on a "heavier than air" machine far earlier.

I'm sure Sir George would be amongst the first - much to the disgust of his coachman/pilot, if memory serves me correctly!

Interesting that the Adler Eole took off under it's own power in 1890. That even predates Richard Pearce by thirteen years. I wonder how he managed to put a 20 HP four cylinder steam engine in an aircraft and still have an empty weight under 500 pounds?

The "first flight rules" appear to have been developed to suit a specific, far later event. "Taking off under it's own power" and "a pilot exercising reasonable control" should be fundamental to defining the true first flight of an aircraft.
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