515 . 225 . 8208
Contact

Media Notes
Tickle the other half of your brain with our eclectic monthly selections

Sign up now...

musings on
synchronicity
and the value of
paying attention

On the other hand, you may be in airports and airplanes so often, you don't even think about the improbability of plowing through an ocean of air in a giant aluminum tube. (Maybe you don't want to think about it....) Either way, the act of flying itself is remarkable and, as those who sought to re-create the equipment and the experience of controlled and powered flight have found out one hundred years later, the achievement is nothing short of miraculous.

The two bicycle mechanics from Ohio, Orville and Wilbur Wright, were the first to fly — the first people to build a powered aircraft with steering gear that attempted to control the altitude and direction of the machine as it moved through the air.

2003 is the centennial commemoration of that first flight from a place commonly known as Kitty Hawk but noted as the landmark on North Carolina's outer banks at Kill Devil Hill, a site chosen for its persistent winds and relatively 'soft' landing area. December 17, 1903 was the official date of the Wright Brothers' success: 12 seconds in the air over 100 yards of sandy beach and dune.

Several groups and organizations are noting the 100th anniversary, including one team that has attempted for the last three years to produce a replica of the Wright flying machine that would actually function and fly as the original. Over the time they've been engaged in this project, their admiration for the Wright Brothers has only grown, as they discovered how challenging the undertaking truly was for the time — and even for today. They built the machine, and even took some trial runs. But their attempt to re-create the first flight from the dunes at Kitty Hawk on December 17, 2003 ended in a run down the launching rail and a plop into a mud puddle. Despite the sell-out audience, the cheering, and all the work to get to that point, the recreators were doomed by the rainy weather and lack of wind.

We respect your privacy and will not share your information with anyone.

Copyright ©2003-2008 Jill J. Jensen  |  All Rights Reserved  |  515 . 225 . 8208