Wright Flyer I

The Wright Flyer I is the “first motorized Avion” of the history of the Aviation of the Frères Wright with which they effectuairent the first flight motorized with Kitty Hawk in North Carolina the December 17th 1903.

History

It was drawn and built by two American, the Frères Wright. He is regarded as the first plane having supported a controlled motorized flight. This plane is also called Kitty Hawk, the name of the locality or took place these flights.

Before building Flyer, the two brothers carried out preliminary tests with Planeur S, with Kitty Hawk, between 1900 and 1902. The experience gained with the last sailplane of 1902 enabled them to draw Flyer. Not being able to find an engine automobile meeting their needs, the Frères Wright made some draw one by their employee Charlie Taylor. A system of transmission to chain, as on a bicycle, actuated the two propellers.

Flyer was conceived like a Biplan with configuration duck, the elevator being to the front one. The pilot was lengthened on the belly on the level of the lower wing. He controlled the slope and the direction while moving laterally within a framework fixed at his hips. The framework drew on cables which warped (deformed) the wings in contrary direction, and made at the same time turn the rudder (what one calls a conjugation rolling - lace).

The December 14th 1903, the Wright brothers were finally ready for their first test. They played pile or face the place of the pilot, it is Wilbur Wright which gained. But the apparatus was unstable in Tangage and consequently difficult to control. The pilot drew too abruptly on the orders, the plane bucked and fell by involving some light damage.

Repairs were carried out in three days, and it is the December 17th in Kitty Hawk that Orville Wright took in its turn the orders. Curtailed by the difficulty of piloting in pitching, this first flight lasted only 13 seconds; the plane had traversed a little more than 36 meters, vis-a-vis a rather strong wind. Two other flights a little longer followed. Without wind of face and fault sufficiently powerful, Flyer did not have enough ground speed to take off.

The photograph

One of the most beautiful photographs of aviation, this image belongs to the negative plates to the format 127 X 178 deposited with the Congress in 1949. The apparatus had been assembled on a foot by Orville Wright, which had explained to John T. Daniels of the station of rescue of Kill Devil Hill when and how to start the catch of sight. Daniels did what it was necessary, and the result shows the takeoff of Flyer perfectly. Orville with the orders, is lengthened in the sliding frame allowing the control of the twist of the wings. Wilbur, which accompanied the machine by holding it, has just released one of the amounts of the wing and moved back a little for better seeing what occurs.

First “outward journey return” on the English Channel by Charles Rolls

In 1910 Charles Rolls (founder of Rolls-Royce with Henri Royce in 1906) is the first man to make “the outward journey return” England - France above the Manche with “Wright Flyer I” of the Frères Wright. The same year, it commits suicide tragically the July 12th in a air Meeting above Bournemouth at the 33 years age (Louis Blériot was the first to cross the Manche in the plane with its Blériot XI the July 25th 1909).

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