With a long enough runway it could take off in calm air. But since
Kitty Hawk is only about 500 miles from their bicycle shop in Ohio
whereas the Bonneville Salt Flats is more than 1500 miles away,
Given that the first flight was shorter than the wingspan of a modern
jetliner, are you sure about this? Perhaps it would have run out of
gas or fallen apart or the pilot jolted off before becoming airborne?
The temps on the salt flats would have been a hindering factor as
well, both aerodynamically and mechanically.
all the best -- Dan Ford
email:
www.danford.net/letters.htm#9
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