An Historical Perspective on the Wright Accomplishment

With all the attention and analysis currently being
accorded the
Wright Brothers’ accomplishments a century ago, a question

comes to mind: Is 100 years a long enough time to
develop a
balanced historical perspective of this achievement?

I would suggest not, if the reviewer attempts a perspective

primarily from the present and particularly if he is
only examing
the aviation-related achievements which have unfolded
within
the century since.

If we could take all of the flight-related dreams throughout

mankind’s history and stack them up against what occurred
at
Kitty Hawk 100 years ago today, only a minute percentage
of
them would find fulfillment in that event. Why is this
so? Because
from the earliest of time man dreamed to fly as he
saw birds, and
insects, and other flying creatures fly- under their
own power or
through the utilization of naturally occurring energy
forms
manifested as atmospheric discontinuities. Dreams which

centered on the use of machines to produce the power
for flight,
whether steam, internal combustion, or otherwise, are
relative
newcomers when weighed against the mass of history.
Even a
cursory review of the literature will reveal this perspective.

As such, I would suggest that when Paul MacCready’s
team
achieved sustainable, controlled human-powered flight
by
winning the Kremer Prize in 1977, the seminal flight
event in the
past century had occurred. Although the flight did
not result
from the flapping of arms or other devices so typical
of long-
standing human dreams, all of the elements were present
and
success was gained. As such, the vast majority of historical

flight dreams would have found fulfillment in that
event- not the
Wrights’ achievement, or landing on the moon, or breaking
the
sound barrier, or any of the other 20th century flight

achievements which are often pointed to as the most

spectacular.

This is not meant to detract from the Wright brothers’

achievements. Indeed their earlier flights with gliders
had already
achieved results which make their first powered flight
look small
by comparison. And it should be noted that their gliding

achievements would more closely fit the vast sum of
age-old
flight dreams by using naturally occurring atmospherics,
as the
birds and other flying creatures do. Nor is this meant
to ignore
the legacy the Wrights established as scientists; carefully

working toward an important goal through experimentation,
trial
and error.

It is interesting to think about looking forward, and
wondering
what more time might lend to the historical perspective.
I believe
that the majority and past perspective, not the present,
will
again prevail as the more valued flight form. It is
the most
elemental, the most pure. And, given the reality that
the energy
forms used in the bulk of powered flight during the
century
following the Wright event are either unsustainable
or ultimately
damaging to the world in the long-term, this will likely
be
reinforced.

Just a few thoughts on the subject.

Here’s to the Wrights, MacCready, and all pioneers
in flight!

Best Regards,

Gary Osoba