PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - The Wright brothers just glided in 1903. They flew in 1908.
Old 11th Jun 2014, 19:18
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eetrojan
 
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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) using a plane twice as heavy and powered by an engine having half the power of that utilized by Santos.

"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
So, you are persuaded by the Scientific American published on November 3, 1906 because you find skepticism of the Wright's claims, but you reject the Scientific American dated April 7, 2006 that reported on eleven witness replies that confirmed the Wright's claims. Got it.
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