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Old 16th Feb 2012, 16:04
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Wwyvern
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Berkshire, UK
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green granite.

Sorry to be pedantic, but the Wrights were not the first to fly an "aircraft". They probably flew the first "aeroplane".

Sir George Cayley built a full sized glider (an aircraft) and had a 10 year old boy fly in it for at least one flight in 1849. A bigger version had his coachman fly in it for at least one flight in 1853. There is no report of whether he stayed in Cayley'd employ thereafter.

Cayley also designed and built a gas bag flying machine (an aircraft) in 1816, but I don't think it was manned.

Never thought my Cranwell thesis would come in useful after all these years.
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