The witnesses saw the 1905 Flyer being pushed by hand before it took off!!
Regarding the claimed flights of 1905, there are serious doubts they really took place. In April 1906 the journal Scientific American said it had received letters from 11 witnesses and from their declarations "
it would seem that the aeroplane (Flyer III) was pushed for a short distance by hand and left the rail after having traveled 25 or 30 feet".
There is no word about any catapult!! The force necessary to accelerate the 710 pounds of Flyer III, from zero to the flight speed in only 30 feet, is enormous, many times greater than the thrust generated by the propellers, and it could not have been delivered by hand.
"In order to ascertain if possible the manner in which the machine was launched, the witnesses were asked in the sixth question whether or not the machine arose from the ground by its own power. From the replies received, it would seem that the aeroplane rested on a single rail 40 feet long, was pushed for a short distance by hand, and left the rail after having traveled 25 or 30 feet. The rail was level and raised about 6 inches from the ground."
Source:
Scientific American Volume 94 Number 14 (April 1906)