PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - The Wright brothers just glided in 1903. They flew in 1908.
Old 11th Jun 2014, 18:53
  #361 (permalink)  
simplex1
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Alaska
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Wright brothers plane was highly suspicious according to the Scientific American from Nov. 3, 1906

In an article dedicated to the flight performed by Santos Dumont on Oct. 23, 1906, the Scientific American rose a question regarding the credibility of the 1905 Wright's plane which was miraculously capable to fly at 38 mph (significantly faster than the Brazilian's machine that did not go over 25 mph) being twice as heavy as Santos' plane and using half the power.

"In comparing the results of Santos Dumont’s experiment with those which the Wright brothers claim to have attained, there is one striking fact, viz., the young Brazilian, although having an apparatus of the same general type as that used by the American experimenters, but of about one-half its weight, found that a 50-horse-power motor was necessary to drive his flier up into the air and forward through it at a speed of 25 miles per hour; while the Wrights, with a machine of twice the weight and half the power, claim to have made nearly double the speed (38 miles per hour). In the experiment just described, Santos Dumont‘s machine lifted only about 10 pounds to the horse-power, while the Wright brothers’ aeroplane, it is claimed, lifted 60
"
Surce: "Successful Flight of Santos Dumont's Aeropane", Scientific American, Volume 95, Number 18, pag. 318-319, Nov. 3, 1906, https://archive.org/stream/scientifi.../search/santos

Last edited by simplex1; 11th Jun 2014 at 19:06.
simplex1 is offline