View Full Version : Happy anniversary Orville & Wilbur
astir 8
17th Dec 2003, 16:38
Well done chaps
Personally I wouldn't have got that contraption out of the shed in a 20 mph wind - a guaranteed blow-over accident waiting to happen (which it did).
But since they didn't know any better they got it out and flew.:O
I can't recall the exact words, but Wilbur made an observation a few years afterwards along the lines that if he'd known then what he knew now he wouldn't have attempted a first solo on type, especially in those conditions.
Iron City
17th Dec 2003, 21:57
Current METAR at Manteo/Dare County Airport (KMQI) is:
KMQI 171420Z AUTO 24006KT 4SM +RA SCT024 BKN030 OVC037 12/10 A2974 RMK AO2 P0006
Wind isn't bad (though insufficient) but it had been from the south and is now backing around to the west, rain increasing. About 2 hours ago heard a live radio report from the site and the weather was reported okay, 10,000 (not a typo... ten thousand) people reported on hand for the attempt at flight, started arriving at 0300 in the morning. Lucky lunatics.
Couldn't pay a rational man enough to fly the 03 Flyer today, but I'd do it for nothing.
FNG- believe I have read the same. Also that if the brothers had to come up with a design to allow themselves to learn without breaking their necks they couldn't have done much better. The forward elevators apparantly also act as cannards a la a Burt Ruttan design and give the aircraft benign stall characteristics. (They said who never had to fly it)
UPDATE 1030 Eastern:
Just saw the CCTV feed... flight attempt rescheduled for 1400 local (about 3.5 hours) due to insufficient wind. Seems they need 10 to 22 knots wind over the deck and have about 6 now. The 1400 local time also takes into account bands of rain that are coming over the area...they will fly in light to moderate rain.