May 30, 1908, two pictures showing the Wrights' plane in the air are published. The flying machine has a large, tall sand dune behind it.
Nearly four years and half after the alleged Dec. 17, 1903 powered flights there was still no solid evidence a plane built by the Wrights was able to rise under its own power. How can I believe the two inventors were able to fly more than 30 minutes in Oct. 1905 over a flat pasture near Dayton if they still needed a hill and strong winds to stay in the air as late as May 1908.
The two pictures (see the image) could prove an ordinary glide or a power assisted descent. There is no solid evidence the photos really show a true powered flight.
See: "The Wright Aeroplane Tests in North Carolina", Scientific American, pag. 393, May 30, 1908,
https://archive.org/stream/scientifi...ge/n7/mode/2up
As a remark:
The same May 30, 1908 Scientific American, at page 392, displays a few pictures presenting one of the Aerial Experimental Association's planes, one photo showing the airplane in flight. They are quite credible images. There is little doubt the AEA's plane really flew under its own power.