Tuesday September 25, Kitty Hawk

Today Kathy and I visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk. It is full of great exhibits and some fun sculptures to play around with. The monument on the hill, pictured in the Wikipedia article, is the least interesting thing at the memorial.

There is a museum and a centennial pavilion. Both are worth visiting. The displays do a good job explaining the scientific tasks the brothers had to accomplish to fly. We point they make is that the brothers had to act as scientists, not just inventors. They conducted a series of experiments to discover the shape of wing with the greatest lift and least drag. They invented the wind tunnel for these experiments. We should also recognize that they had to invent not only the wings and the propeller, they also had to invent the engine light enough and with enough horsepower because no engine manufacturers would supply an engine that would meet their specifications for lightness and horsepower.

Chris holds on for dear life during the first flight.

Outside the museum, the hangers and living quarters are reconstructed. Beside these is the reconstructed track used for take off. Stones mark the distances of their first four flights:

1. 120 feet in 12 seconds (6.8 mph).
2. 175 feet in 12 seconds. (9.8 mph)
3. 200 feet in 15 seconds. (9 mph)
4. 852 feet in 59 seconds. (9.8 mph)

If these speeds seem to slow to lift a plane, remember that the Wright Flyer was flying in a strong headwind.

In the pavilion is video showing 2003 attempts at flying reconstructed Wright Flyers. These pilots did less well. One flight was only 97 feet.

On the other side of the Kill Devil Hills monument is a life-sized sculpture of the first flight. People can get up on the sculpture to have their picture taken. Fun.