Author Topic: First Flight (Read 2558 times)

Styxx · **on:** February 24, 2005, 07:30:10 am

So, who do you accept as being responsible for the first powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine?

Santos Dumont, who flew in 1906 in the middle of Paris with hundreds of witnesses and took off from the ground using the airplane's own power alone?

The Wright Brothers, who may have flew as early as 1903, but without credible witnesses or records, and had to push the aircraft off a cliff or use a catapult on all early models, and failed to fly when the press was called to witness a flight on 1904?

Or someone else entirely? I'm adding the two options I know of on the poll, but I can add others as they're suggested if they have merit.

Clave · **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2005, 08:10:50 am

If you are asking 'who is responsible?' as in who did all the preliminary work and design concepts - then I would have to say George Cayley - He was years ahead of anyone else, but the technology was not able to support his dream of self-powered flight: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SCIcayley.htm

But, as to 'who flew first?' then I'd go with the Wright Brothers as is generally accepted....

Styxx · **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2005, 08:21:23 am

Quote

Originally posted by Clave
If you are asking 'who is responsible?' as in who did all the preliminary work and design concepts - then I would have to say George Cayley - He was years ahead of anyone else, but the technology was not able to support his dream of self-powered flight: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SCIcayley.htm

I mean who actually flew first.

Quote

Originally posted by Clave
But, as to 'who flew first?' then I'd go with the Wright Brothers as is generally accepted....

Generally accepted by north americans.

Clave · **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2005, 11:39:00 am

Well natch, the US invented everything surely?

I mean piddly little Euro countries couldn't possibly have thought of anything...

Fineus · **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2005, 11:44:34 am

We have cricket and football

Anyway I'm curious to see the outcome of this one. I always learnt that the Wright Brothers made the first true flight.

Nuclear1 · **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2005, 11:57:56 am

It was all Snuffleupagus

Scuddie · **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2005, 11:58:58 am

Wrong. All of you.

It was Leonardo da Vinci

Taristin · **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:05:05 pm

Iccarus! Iccarus flew first! With wings of feathers, and bones of wax!

Styxx · **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:13:57 pm

Yeah, you guys are really taking this seriously. Now if this was politics...

Corsair · **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:20:17 pm

The Wright Bros.!! It must be them! They're on all the postage stamps and stuff and... they're American! Americans must have invented flight! They wouldn't lie about something like that... would they?

Seriously though, in my book it was the Wilbur and Orville, although there were other guys trying the same thing around the same time so I suppose it always could be somebody else. I like my boys from Carolina though.

Falcon · **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:30:04 pm

Quote

Originally posted by nuclear1
It was all Snuffleupagus

Taristin · **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:41:11 pm

Quote

Originally posted by Styxx
Yeah, you guys are really taking this seriously. Now if this was politics...

That's because we love you!

Vee Lub J00!

Scuddie · **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:41:54 pm

*Huggles*

Janos · **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:58:02 pm

i watch birds

beatspete · **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2005, 01:15:14 pm

There was this guy (french I think) called Penoid (spelling?). Some time in the late 19th century he flew a small rubber band powered aircraft, went about 100m. Thus, he had the "first powered flight by a heavier-than-air machine".... but it was only a model, he never flew in it.

Taristin · **Reply #15 on:** February 24, 2005, 01:13:17 pm

Pfft. Who made the first paper airplane back in the 1400's? Or do Gliders not count?

Err. In response to the post that will be made in the next few minutes.

Tiara · **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:54:29 pm

Actually, it was Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (who also invented the machine gun) who in 1894 flew the first plane

He only got about 4 feet above the ground but still

But after trials it was concluded that the amount of water needed to power it was too heavy.

MatthewPapa · **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2005, 02:58:41 pm

I believe that although there might possibly be others before orville and wilbur who flew in some way it is undeniable that these two men were the first ones to actually implement flight in a way useable for the rest of humanity.

Mongoose · **Reply #18 on:** February 24, 2005, 03:48:39 pm

The Wright brothers' plane didn't use any sort of catapult or cliff. I was at Kitty Hawk, and I know for a fact that they used a flat surface for the runway for their flight trials. They only used the sand dunes for glider test flights. Their actual powered flights took off while placed on a small cart that ran along a rail. The plane took off under its own power; the cart just acted as a temporary set of landing gear for the plane.

As for the thread's question, Wright brothers all the way. Did you even research this? There's an actual picture of their first flight in progress. Also, there was an entire Coast Guard station, plus a few other onlookers, present at this same flight. Somehow, I don't think all of them would make it up. Ridiculous conspiracy theories like this just annoy the hell out of me. The Wright brothers being credited with the first flight has nothing to do with them being American; it has to do with them actually flying first.

Styxx · **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2005, 03:59:11 pm

Quote

Originally posted by Mongoose
The Wright brothers' plane didn't use any sort of catapult or cliff. I was at Kitty Hawk, and I know for a fact that they used a flat surface for the runway for their flight trials. They only used the sand dunes for glider test flights. Their actual powered flights took off while placed on a small cart that ran along a rail. The plane took off under its own power; the cart just acted as a temporary set of landing gear for the plane.

As for the thread's question, Wright brothers all the way. Did you even research this? There's an actual picture of their first flight in progress. Also, there was an entire Coast Guard station, plus a few other onlookers, present at this same flight. Somehow, I don't think all of them would make it up. Ridiculous conspiracy theories like this just annoy the hell out of me. The Wright brothers being credited with the first flight has nothing to do with them being American; it has to do with them actually flying first.

Right. That's why the whole world at the time considered Santos Dumont as the first one to actually fly, and the Wright Brothers only "replaced" him many years later, when "evidence" of their flights started to show up. That's also why a magazine article from 1906 about them is entitled "Flyers or Liars", when all they had to do was call in the reporters and fly the damn thing. Amazingly, their plane always seemed to break down when credible press representatives were on the vicinity.

So yeah, forgive my skepticism. This thread is mostly to know what the educational systems on various countries teach about it.

News:

Poll

Who flew a heavier-than-air plane for the first time?

Author Topic: First Flight (Read 2558 times)

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