"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net
"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

Not at all. If I saw a plane "flying" out of control, I would not
define it as flight.

That's assuming that Mr. Ader, whose name unfortunately has never
come to my attention, is indeed credited with this feat. What sort
of a landing did his uncontrolled aircraft make?


In 1890 Clement Ader's "Eole" rose from level ground under it's own
power and traveled some 50 yards or so at an altitude of about one
foot before settling back down. Since Ader had not equipped the
craft with any kind of flight control system, this was obviously not
controlled flight, but it was the first time a manned
heavier-than-air machine took off from level ground under its own
power.

The Montgoflier(sp) brothers would be devastated to hear this.

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