Famous Flyers

his pipe, and stretch his le

Leonardo da Vinci drew up plans for a flying machine. Just before the Wright's experiment Langley had stayed up in the air in a machine invented an

n Edison to bring together these experiments, to think through logically just wherein they were right and where they were wrong, and to add the brilliant deductions that brought their experiments to a practical and

of flying through the air was looked upon as crazy. And this was not more than a quarter of a century ago. Seems funny, doesn't it? But they were not to be discouraged. They knew that they were right, and they

er; lived together, played together, although they didn't play much, being a serious pair, and worked together. They never quarreled, never showed any jealou

years old with his parents, Milton Wright, bishop of the United Brethren Church, and Susan Katherine Wright. In 1870 the family moved to Day

g graduated from High School, Orville decided that he, too, wou

orks that were of more help to them than formal education. In this way they learned printing, and built themselves a printing press out of odds

repair shop they developed a factory in which they manufactured bicycles themselves. Their business was very

other. The event renewed the interest that they had always had in flying, and they set about studying all of the books that they could find on the problem of flight. They soon exhausted all that the

e country around Dayton was not favorable for flying their craft. They wrote to the United States government to find a region that had conditions favorable to their gliding. That is how the obscure Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, came to be the famous place tha

were ready to build a plane with power. They went back to Dayton in 1902. They designed and supervised the building of the motor themselves, one th

lace, they discovered that a storm had blown away the building which they had built to work in when they first got to Kitty Hawk. However, everything was at

bur insisted that Orville should be the first. They decided it by flipping a coin. Wilbur won. He got into the plane, unfastened the wire that he

urn, of course. He unloosened the wire; the plane started down the hill; at the end of a forty-foot run it rose into the air. It kept on going, in a bumpy, irr

ose planes. The wonder is that any of them escaped with their lives. They had to sit up there exposed to all the elements, and pilot the clumsy planes. And yet they grew into skilful and expert pilots, and could loop the loop and figure eight in t

, became interested in the new flying machine, and sent representatives over to the United States to inspect it. With the French approving of it, the United States became more interested. The government offered a prize of $25,000, for anyone who would build a plane that would tra

flights, and won the hearts of the French people by staying in the air for an ho

nes. But the Wrights, no more impressed by this than they were by anything else, kept right on working. They were financed by a group

ing. They spent their time in engineering problems, making impro

with gliders, but this was in or

lived quietly. He has not flown, and has acted as advisor to his company as they turn out more and more modern planes. He is one man who

k so,"

so?" asked Bill, sit

that his uncle was joking, and laughed. They

in, "who could be out

sing of the door. In a short while the footsteps of Mrs.

. "My, you three look cozy up here. I suppose you've been

r came in, offered his chair before he ope

legram," she said. "Of course, I suppose I should be polite and prete

d Hal

d the telegram, and glanced hurriedly over it. "Pat's landing tomorrow," h

d Bob, and went

. She was used to Bob's antics. "Wh

start out about dawn and get here around noon. Anyway, we'll be going down to the ai

ut lunch?" asked the

ort restaurant," said Bill.

t that it would be a shame to spoil the expedition for such a trivial reason, so she said, "I have an idea. I'll pack a lunch for all of you tonight, and you can take it with you

t. Gee, Bill, do you remember the picnic

could I forget? You fellows had b

will, Captai

mother will be wondering if I'm never coming h

se you're coming with us. We won't go wi

ll let me go. But anyway, I'll let you know. I'll

Hal. He saw the boy to the door, and

is sister. "Say," he said, "do you think that Hal's mother re

you mean?" ask

rously on his pipe. "I've been watching

id of

a change has come over him since there has been an actu

ways been so interested in flying. That

nce of his going up in a plane. Now that

ld undoubtedly object very strenuously if he merely went to the airport.

ery bad for Hal if he funks this. I think that it will hurt him a great deal. If he succeeds in overcoming his fears now for once and for all, if he learns to go up in a plane, even

" said his sister. "But what

know he's afraid. Treat him just as if he were the bravest lad in the world. I'll take care of that. But I c

a wry smile. "I'd much rather teach a boy to overcome his fears than teach a moth

How about something to eat

would like to hear you just once

n about that, you just feed me a good dinner now, and I'll do

his mother, but smiled fondly at