Hobbies And Interests
Unpowered Flight Tests
The Wright brothers recognized that the hardest problem to solve would be controlling an aircraft's flight path. Starting in 1899, they practiced modifying and flying kite designs to discover how to control a flying object's three axes: roll, pitch and yaw. They developed the rudder and other movable surfaces which were implemented on their next experimental craft, the glider in 1900. They each took turns piloting the gliders. These repetitive tests of the flight controls led to refinement of the glider in 1901.
Wind Tunnel Tests
Skeptical of existing aeronautical data, the Wright brothers built a wind tunnel in late 1901 to test their own aerodynamic theories. Wind tunnel testing led them to redesign their 1901 glider. By 1902 they had a new glider which was the basic model, except for changes in size and proportion, for the 1903 airplane. Their wind tunnel tests also enabled them to design propellers that were located behind the wings on either side of the airplane frame.
Aircraft Specifics
The 1903, the Wright Flyer frame was made of ash and spruce poles. The wings were made of muslin, a sturdy woven cotton cloth. The entire airplane, including engine and propellers, weighed 605 pounds. It had a wingspan of 40 feet, was 9 feet tall and 21 feet long. The pilot lay in a cradle under the wings where he could control wing pitch, vertical movement and the rudder through cables.
The Engine
In 1902, the Wright brothers came up with a concept for an engine to power their airplane. They solicited major automobile manufacturers of the day, but none of them could be bothered to produce just one engine. So the Wright brothers hired Charlie Taylor, a machinist, to fabricate their design. It was an in-line, four cylinder engine, weighing 179 pounds. It delivered 12 horsepower at 1025 rpm. It performed admirably and enabled the Wright brothers to make their historic powered flight.