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Face Ache · Dec 16, 2003, 08:39 AM

December 17th 2003 marks 100 years of mans ability to fly.

It's amazing to think that it's only been 100 years since Otto von Weisenheimer made the first powered flight at the base of Mount Kosiosko in New South Wales, Australia.

If only he hadn't hit the mountain.

Next time you're feeling all evolved and smart and everything, just remember 100 years ago people were flapping their arms and jumping off cliffs.

theolein · Dec 16, 2003, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by Face Ache:
December 17th 2003 marks 100 years of mans ability to fly.

It's amazing to think that it's only been 100 years since Otto von Weisenheimer made the first powered flight at the base of Mount Kosiosko in New South Wales, Australia.

If only he hadn't hit the mountain.

Next time you're feeling all evolved and smart and everything, just remember 100 years ago people were flapping their arms and jumping off cliffs.

Perhaps if Otto had tried from the top of Mount Kosiosko...

Spheric Harlot · Dec 16, 2003, 08:55 AM

Originally posted by Face Ache:
December 17th 2003 marks 100 years of mans ability to fly.

102 years, 4 months, and 3 days, actually.

Gustave Whitehead very probably beat the Orville brothers by over two years.

http://www.ythcal.de/worth/tec/e-powfly.html

-s*

D'Espice · Dec 16, 2003, 09:00 AM

That's right Spheric, I read a book about Wei�kopf once and he really was the first one.

ThisGuy · Dec 16, 2003, 09:10 AM

what about that brazialian guy who lived in paris? i thought there were claims by him as well.
if this is the case, why do the wright bros. get credit for it? is it because of sustained flight or something?

Mediaman_12 · Dec 16, 2003, 09:24 AM

I think it went the the Wright bros. because it's well documented, and there is a film of it. Thre seams to be a whole load of people who 'flew' before the Wright bros (there is also a Scotish guy called Percy Pilcher who may have done it). it's just that they had the best evedence to 'prove' that they did it.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 16, 2003, 09:30 AM

Originally posted by Mediaman_12:
I think it went the the Wright bros. because it's well documented, and there is a film of it. Thre seams to be a whole load of people who 'flew' before the Wright bros (there is also a Scotish guy called Percy Pilcher who may have done it). it's just that they had the best evedence to 'prove' that they did it.

Ah yes, American marketing has always been #1.

theolein · Dec 16, 2003, 09:46 AM

Actually, Pterosaurs were amongst the earliest creatures to achieve powered flight, some 100 million years ago:

Just think what they would have been capable of if they'd have had a balanced diet and had looked after their environment properly.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 16, 2003, 09:48 AM

Originally posted by theolein:

Just think what they would have been capable of if they'd have had a balanced diet and had looked after their environment properly.

And there's someone behind the scenes pulling strings - just another Republican dinosaur, there.

BoomStick · Dec 16, 2003, 10:04 AM

Other people had powered fight. They just did not sustain controlled powered flight. The Wrights had a controllable aircraft.
Gliders had been around for a while.

However, they had a movie of their's flying under controll of the pilot. The person with the proof wins.

wdlove · Dec 16, 2003, 01:09 PM

Originally posted by Mediaman_12:
I think it went the the Wright bros. because it's well documented, and there is a film of it. Thre seams to be a whole load of people who 'flew' before the Wright bros (there is also a Scotish guy called Percy Pilcher who may have done it). it's just that they had the best evedence to 'prove' that they did it.

Proof is a powerful thing. Man flight is an amazing accomplishment. Human kind has gained a lot of knowledge in that 100 year span.