Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers

Summary

History Daily: Saturday Matinee – American History Tellers

Release Date: January 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of History Daily, host Lindsay Graham delves into the pioneering journey of the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, as narrated by Neal Thompson. The episode, titled "Saturday Matinee: American History Tellers," explores the brothers' relentless pursuit to achieve the first powered, controlled airplane flight, highlighting their trials, tribulations, and triumphs.

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Early Life and Interests

The Wright brothers grew up in a disciplined and deeply religious household in Dayton, Ohio. Their father, Bishop Milton Wright, was an itinerant clergyman who fostered an environment rich in intellectual curiosity and mechanical tinkering.

“Orville would later say that he and Wilbur were lucky enough to grow up in a home environment where there was always much encouragement to pursue intellectual interests to investigate whatever aroused our curiosity.” ([09:29])

From a young age, both brothers exhibited a passion for mechanics. By ten, Orville was already building toy kites, and their interests expanded when their father introduced them to a rubber band-powered toy helicopter.

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Formation of the Wright Cycle Company

In 1892, inspired by a traveling bicycle exposition, Wilbur founded the Wright Cycle Company. Orville joined him, and together they expanded the business, manufacturing their own bicycles. The success of their cycle shop provided the financial foundation necessary for their aeronautical experiments.

“By the summer of 1896, with a cycle shop profitable, the industrious brothers began to devote more time to their growing interest in aviation.” ([12:33])

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Initial Experiments

The Wright brothers' fascination with flight led them to study birds and the work of aviation pioneers like Otto Lilienthal. In 1899, they crafted their first glider in their Dayton workshop, utilizing their self-developed theory of wing warping to achieve controlled flight.

“Wilbur had developed a theory he called wing warping, which he believed was the key to controlled flight.” ([18:39])

Their initial tests, however, were fraught with challenges, including instability and control issues, highlighting the complexities of heavier-than-air flight.

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The Move to Kitty Hawk

Seeking optimal conditions for their experiments, the brothers set their sights on Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The remote location offered steady winds and sandy dunes ideal for glider testing. Wilbur embarked on the arduous journey, facing a violent storm en route, while Orville followed weeks later.

“Wilbur reached Kitty Hawk the following night, relieved that at least his glider hadn't gone overboard.” ([24:35])

Upon arrival, they teamed up with local fisherman and former postmaster William Tait, who became instrumental in assisting their endeavors.

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First Flights and Setbacks

By early October 1900, the Wrights' full-sized glider was assembled. Wilbur took to the skies, achieving flights of up to 30 miles per hour and covering 100 yards. Despite minor crashes and subsequent repairs, each flight provided invaluable data, inching them closer to their goal.

“Despite dealing with cold weather, heavy rain, and subsisting largely on canned beans, the two brothers were elated by their most successful set of test flights so far.” ([43:54])

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Interaction with Octave Chanute

Their persistent efforts caught the attention of Octave Chanute, a respected aviation pioneer. Chanute's support and mentorship provided both encouragement and critical feedback, aiding the Wright brothers in refining their designs and methodologies.

“Octave Chanute knew the brothers were using their own funds for their scrappy, homemade tests, so he offered to help find them a financial patron like Andrew Carnegie.” ([38:44])

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Return to Kitty Hawk and Further Experiments

In 1902, armed with improved designs from wind tunnel tests, the Wrights returned to Kitty Hawk with a more advanced glider. After incorporating a movable rear rudder, they achieved greater control and longer flight durations. These incremental successes were pivotal in establishing their credibility within the aviation community.

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Competition with Samuel Langley

While the Wright brothers made significant strides, they faced competition from established figures like Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian Institute. Langley's well-funded and publicly supported experiments with the Great Aerodrome contrasted sharply with the Wrights' modest, self-funded endeavors. This rivalry underscored the challenges of gaining recognition amidst larger, more resource-rich competitors.

“By comparison, the Wright's glider, really an oversized kite, seemed like a modest competitor to Langley's well-funded, well-publicized invention.” ([35:54])

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Conclusion

The episode concludes by emphasizing the Wright brothers' unwavering determination and innovative spirit. Despite limited recognition and substantial obstacles, their methodical approach and willingness to learn from each failure ultimately paved the way for human flight.

“They were still just a curiosity, two strange, straight-laced bicycle makers from Ohio. And if they wanted to pull ahead in the race toward flight, they needed more power than just the winds off Kitty Hawk.” ([44:12])

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Notable Quotes

1. Orville Wright on Home Environment:

   “Orville would later say that he and Wilbur were lucky enough to grow up in a home environment where there was always much encouragement to pursue intellectual interests to investigate whatever aroused our curiosity.” ([09:29])

2. Wilbur Wright on Wing Warping:

   “Wilbur had developed a theory he called wing warping, which he believed was the key to controlled flight.” ([18:39])

3. Chanute’s Support:

   “Octave Chanute knew the brothers were using their own funds for their scrappy, homemade tests, so he offered to help find them a financial patron like Andrew Carnegie.” ([38:44])

4. Orville Wright on Flight Problems:

   “There's something wrong with the rear rudder. It's causing the machine to skid sideways.” ([41:04])

5. Wilbur Wright on Flight Progress:

   “We now believe that the flying problem is really nearing its solution.” ([43:56])

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Recommendations

For those interested in further exploring the Wright brothers' legacy, History Daily recommends the following books:

• "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough
• "Birdmen" by Lawrence Goldstone

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Production Credits

American History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by Lindsey Graham for Airship. The episode was written by Neal Thompson, with editing by Dorian Marina, and produced by Alida Ryazanski. Managing producers include Desi Blaylock and Matt Gant, with senior managing producer Ryan Moore and senior producer Andy Herman. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Beckman, and Marshall Louie and Aaron O'Flair for Wondering.

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Stay Connected

To delve deeper into the fascinating tales of history, subscribe to History Daily wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you're navigating traffic or taking a break at work, let History Daily transport you to the pivotal moments that shaped our world.

Transcript

[Lindsey Graham]

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery.

[Neal Thompson]

App as a member of Noiser plus.

[Lindsey Graham]

At noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts.

[Neal Thompson]

Or you can get all of History.

[Lindsey Graham]

Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com.

[Neal Thompson]

The license plate game is a classic means of turning long hours of driving into a fun, easy competition. Whoever spots the most out of state license plates wins. And you can tell they're out of state not just by the different state names emblazoned on them, but by the different slogans. Most states have them here in Texas it's the Lone Star State, New York is the Empire State, Idaho proclaims famous Potatoes, New Hampshire wants to remind you.

[Lindsey Graham]

To live free or die, and North.

[Neal Thompson]

Carolina was first in flight. But hold on, Ohio's is the birthplace of aviation. It seems that the airplane is so monumental an achievement that two states have claimed the bragging rights. On today's Saturday matinee, we explain with an episode of one of my other podcasts, American Historytellers.

[Lindsey Graham]

The Wright Brothers were indeed the first.

[Neal Thompson]

To make a powered airplane flight, and did so in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. But they designed and built their plane in Dayton, Ohio. Still, making that historic flight was in many ways only the beginning of the story. I hope you enjoy. While you're listening, be sure to search for and follow American history retailers. We put a link in the show notes to make it easy for you.

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[Reese's]

Peanut Butter cup sound experiment. We're looking to find the perfect Way to hear Reese's so you'll buy more of them. Here we go. Reese's. Reese's. Reese's.

[Lindsey Graham]

Reese's.

[Reese's]

Reese's. Hey, get out of here, you little stinker.

[Greenlight]

Reese's.

[Neal Thompson]

Reese's. Reese's.

[Reese's]

Peanut Butter Cups. That breathy one sounded very creepy. Am I right?

[Neal Thompson]

Imagine it's a breezy August afternoon in 1899, and you're standing in a field on the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio. You're a bicycle maker, but today you've left the bicycles behind in the shop to test a theory you've become obsessed with. You and your brother are going to fly a kite, but not any kite. It's a prototype of a glider you dream of one day flying in yourself. As you assemble your materials on the grass, you you notice a few boys have gathered to watch and you nod in their direction. Hey, boys, stand over there, please. Out of the way. My brother and I are working. Your younger brother Orville gives them a friendly wave. I mean, you can watch, but stay off the field. We don't want anyone getting hurt. You finish assembling the large kite, which consists of two rectangular wings, each 5ft long and 18 inches wide, stacked on top of each other.

[Lindsey Graham]

They're separated by vertical struts and all.

[Neal Thompson]

Of it is held together by wire. Orville looks over to you for instruction and you hand him a length of cord. Alright, let's get these lines tied to the end of each wing, all right? Just make sure the other ends are tied tight. If we want to control the kite's movements, all these lines need to be taut. Once the lines have been secured, you grasp a wooden control stick in your hand while your brother takes another. All right, you ready? I'm ready.

[Lindsey Graham]

You each lift one end of the.

[Neal Thompson]

Kite and hoist it in the air until the breeze catches it. In an instant. It's 20ft overhead and then 30. You weren't sure it was going to fly so easily, but now you're amazed to see it magically dancing on the wind. Looks like it's working. Let the line out slowly. Let's go a bit higher. Oh, she is beautiful. You feel a surge of excitement. You're one step closer to solving a problem that has entranced and inspired mankind forever. How to soar like the birds. You only wish your father and your sister Katherine were here to see this. All right, I'm gonna try turning. But suddenly there's too much slack in one of the lines and the glider begins diving. Pull.

[Lindsey Graham]

Pull.

[Neal Thompson]

Pull. I can't control her. Watch out, boys. The glider is headed straight for the boys, who scatter and dive to avoid getting hit. You watch as your prototype smashes to the ground and into pieces. Ah, darn it. You throw the control stick to the ground in frustration. Then you turn to your brother, who's chuckling. Oh, and what's so funny? Well, we learned what not to do. You feel your anger subside and your mood lighten a bit. It's impossible not to appreciate your brother's optimism. Well, I suppose we did. Back to the drawing board, eh? As the boys nearby jeer at you, Orville gathers up the pieces of the broken kite. You know, next time let's build the glider three times larger. I mean, the idea is that someday we're going to be riding this thing, right? Yeah, that's right. You know, you and your brother share the same lofty dream to build a flying machine that can carry a man into the sky. And despite the crash landing, today's test feels like a promising step in that direction. Foreign I'm Lindsey Graham and this is American historytellers.

[Lindsey Graham]

Our history.

[Neal Thompson]

Your story on our show. We'll take you to the events, the.

[Lindsey Graham]

Times and the people that shaped America and Americans, our values, our struggles and our dreams. We'll put you in the shoes of everyday people as history was being made. And we'll show you how the events of the times affected them, their families, and affects you. Now. In the mid-1890s, two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, began building a small glider.

[Neal Thompson]

In the workshop above their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.

[Lindsey Graham]

The two devout sons of a clergyman had a natural inclination towards science and mechanics. And after developing an interest in the burgeoning field of aeronautics, the self trained brothers decided to devote themselves to what.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur called the problem of flight.

[Lindsey Graham]

So in the fall of 1900, the Wrights traveled to the remote windswept dunes of North Carolina's Outer Banks to begin testing their first full sized glider large enough for a human to pilot.

[Neal Thompson]

For the next three years, they would.

[Lindsey Graham]

Return to the small town of Kitty Hawk, testing and adjusting their flying machines.

[Neal Thompson]

Determined to successfully complete the first powered controlled airplane flight. But more than becoming the first to.

[Lindsey Graham]

Fly, the Wright brothers nursed an ambitious vision for their inventions and for themselves. Despite initial disinterest and skepticism from the media and scientific community, Wilbur and Orville hoped to build a business empire that would capture the world's attention and prove that aviation was America's future.

[Neal Thompson]

This is episode one in our three part series on the Wright brothers, the Art of the bird.

[Lindsey Graham]

In 1880, four Bishop Milton Wright and his wife Susan settled into a modest home in Dayton, Ohio with their three.

[Neal Thompson]

Younger children, Wilbur, Orville and Catherine.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their two oldest sons, Lauren and Rouchlin had already moved out of the house. And while for years the family had moved from town to town due to Milton's job as an itinerant clergyman with.

[Neal Thompson]

The Church of the United Brethren, now.

[Lindsey Graham]

With the Wright's two older sons on their own, the rest of the family looked forward to a period of stability in Dayton. 13 year old Orville and 17 year old Wilbur became known around the neighborhood.

[Neal Thompson]

As Willen Orv, or the Bishop's Boys.

[Lindsey Graham]

Along with their 10 year old sister.

[Neal Thompson]

Catherine, the Wright brothers were raised in.

[Lindsey Graham]

A disciplined, deeply religious home.

[Neal Thompson]

Although there was no electricity or indoor plumbing and meals were cooked over a wood stove, the Wright household was full.

[Lindsey Graham]

Of books and toys for the children to play with. Orville would later say that he and Wilbur were lucky enough to grow up.

[Neal Thompson]

In a home environment where there was.

[Lindsey Graham]

Always much encouragement to pursue intellectual interests to investigate whatever aroused our curiosity. By the age of 10, Orville had.

[Neal Thompson]

Begun building toy kites, sometimes selling them to classmates.

[Lindsey Graham]

And when their father brought home a.

[Neal Thompson]

Rubber band powered toy helicopter, the boys.

[Lindsey Graham]

Played with it until they broke it.

[Neal Thompson]

Then figured out how to build their own replacement.

[Lindsey Graham]

Orville was gentle and shy, but also known for causing mischief.

[Neal Thompson]

At school.

[Lindsey Graham]

Wilbur was more social, athletic and academically inclined. And by high school there was talk of sending him to yale.

[Neal Thompson]

But in 1886, while playing hockey, another.

[Lindsey Graham]

Boy hit Wilbur in the face with a hockey stick, knocking out his front teeth. Homebound after this incident, Wilbur became depressed and his studies fell by the wayside. By then their mother Susan had become.

[Neal Thompson]

Ill with tuberculosis and required constant care.

[Lindsey Graham]

Susan Wright was the brains of the family. Her father had been a carriage maker and as a child she spent many.

[Neal Thompson]

Hours in his workshop, learning to work with his tools.

[Lindsey Graham]

And before her illness, she built sleds and toys for her children. And it was from her that Wilbur and Orville inherited their gift for mechanics. They both loved to work with their hands and make things, which their mother encouraged.

[Neal Thompson]

In 1889, after working summers at a.

[Lindsey Graham]

Local print shop, 18 year old Orville left high school to start his own printing business in a carriage house behind their home.

[Neal Thompson]

But that summer, Susan Wright died of her illness. She was just 58 years old and.

[Lindsey Graham]

The family was devastated. After the death of their mother, Wilbur.

[Neal Thompson]

Joined Orwell's printing business and together they.

[Lindsey Graham]

Started publishing a weekly newspaper, the west side News. It made a small profit and in 1890 became a daily the evening item. But four months later they closed the.

[Neal Thompson]

Item to focus on their more profitable printing business.

[Lindsey Graham]

By their early 20s, it was clear.

[Neal Thompson]

The Wright brothers had become, as their.

[Lindsey Graham]

Father once said, inseparable.

[Neal Thompson]

As twins, they both played music and liked to cook. Neither drank or smoked.

[Lindsey Graham]

Both were painfully shy around women, and neither seemed interested in marrying. Wilbur once said he had no time.

[Neal Thompson]

For a wife, but they remained close.

[Lindsey Graham]

To their sister Catherine, who had a deep influence on the two brothers, especially after their mother died. Catherine was more outgoing than her anti social brothers and soon became the only family member to attend college. With plans to become a schoolteacher. Orville and Wilbur were content with their small commercial printing business.

[Neal Thompson]

But in 1892, a traveling bicycle exposition called American Wheelman stopped in Daytona and.

[Lindsey Graham]

Inspired Wilbur to try something new. He decided to open the Wright Cycle Company where he sold and repaired bikes. Orville was intrigued by his brother's new venture and asked a family friend to.

[Neal Thompson]

Run the printing company while he joined Wilbur's new shop. The brothers soon expanded their business and started making their own bicycles, selling them for $65 each, about $2,400 today. And in their free time, they began to explore a long simmering interest in gliders and kites.

[Lindsey Graham]

And by the summer of 1896, with.

[Neal Thompson]

A cycle shop profitable, the industrious brothers.

[Lindsey Graham]

Began to devote more time to their.

[Neal Thompson]

Growing interest in aviation. Wilbur especially had developed a near obsessive.

[Lindsey Graham]

Curiosity with birds and the science of.

[Neal Thompson]

Flying, a subject he read about constantly. But that summer, Orville contracted typhoid and.

[Lindsey Graham]

Doctors said there wasn't much they could.

[Neal Thompson]

Do and that Orville might die. This frightened Wilbur, who spent countless hours by his sick brother's side. Imagine it's a cool afternoon in late September 1896, and you're riding beside your brother and one of your hand built bicycles. He eyes you warily as you slowly.

[Lindsey Graham]

Pedal along the path that runs along the Miami River.

[Neal Thompson]

Now, you sure you're up for this? I don't want you overdoing it. Absolutely. I mean, if I have to spend another day in that stuffy room, I'll explode.

[Lindsey Graham]

For six weeks, you've in your bedroom.

[Neal Thompson]

On Hawthorne street in Dayton, Ohio, suffering from a severe bout of typhoid and drifting in and out of consciousness.

[Lindsey Graham]

Your brother and sister nursed you through.

[Neal Thompson]

Reading to you as your temperature sometimes spiked to 105. But now you're finally recovering and thrilled to be out of the house. Well, the doctor did say the fresh air would do you good. Although I wonder if you're just trying to get out of having me read to you more about Lilienthal's crash. You laugh because lately your brother has.

[Lindsey Graham]

Been obsessed with the nature news about the German inventor Alto.

[Neal Thompson]

Lilienthal, who died after crashing an experimental glider he was flying. No, I really. I appreciate all the things you read to me.

[Lindsey Graham]

Even in my delirium, I feel like I got an education in the art of the bird.

[Neal Thompson]

Ah, well, you were listening after all. Okay, well, you know, they say his last words were sacrifices must be made. I guess they were. I don't know. Sounds like someone made that up. But he was the pioneer, wasn't he? Yeah. Designed a dozen gliders. I mean, his understanding of the mechanics of flight, his development of the wing, went far beyond anyone else. That man was fearless. Suddenly, your brother comes to a stop and he looks into the sky off to your left. What is it? But he doesn't answer. You stop and look in the same direction where a turkey buzzard is circling. He dismounts his bike and walks over to you looking very serious. Well, now, listen. I've been thinking. I can tell. No, seriously, I have an idea. I think we should pick up where Lilienthal left off. What, flying gliders into the ground?

[Lindsey Graham]

No.

[Neal Thompson]

Lilienthal crashed plenty of times and survived. He just got unlucky this time. See? Look at that buzzard. He knows how to rise, how to float, how to use the wind. That's what we should do. What do you want us to do? Close the bicycle shop and study birds? No, we can't close the shop. Of course, we'd need the income to pay for our experiments. Experiments? Yeah, build a glider of our own. Better than Lilienthal's. You're serious, aren't you? I'm dead serious. Just like Lilienthal said. It's not enough to simply want to fly like the bird. We need to gain an understanding of the problem of flight. We'll study how man can fly the.

[Lindsey Graham]

Way birds can fly.

[Neal Thompson]

In control, working with the wind, not against it.

[Lindsey Graham]

That's the art of flight.

[Neal Thompson]

You look at your brother and you haven't seen him this energized in quite a while. You also share his fascination with the possibility of flight. You know, he's smart enough to do just about anything he sets his mind to. And clearly, he set his mind on this. Well, I mean, if you're in, I'm in. We're a team, right? Let's just hope this doesn't kill one of us. You grin with excitement, but you know that Flying can be a deadly business.

[Lindsey Graham]

And that more than a few men.

[Neal Thompson]

Have lost their lives trying to keep.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their experimental machines in the air. But you're determined that with your mechanical.

[Neal Thompson]

Know how and your brother's knack for numbers and theory, you can succeed where others have failed.

[Lindsey Graham]

In the summer of 1896, as Orville battled typhoid, Wilbur had sat by his side and read to him about birds, experimental gliders and the German innovator Otto Lilienthal.

[Neal Thompson]

The Wright brothers had both shown interest.

[Lindsey Graham]

In flying machines as kids. But in the late 1890s, Wilbur's revived curiosity and passion infected them both. At the time, gas powered automobiles had begun to appear on the dirt streets of Dayton. And Orville initially wanted to try building his own car. But Wilbur convinced him they should build a glider instead.

[Neal Thompson]

By 1898 their bicycle shop had become.

[Lindsey Graham]

Successful, bringing in $3,000 a year. And that gave them the funds they needed to start experimenting with homemade flying machines. Orville and Wilbur had no training, no funding and no real expertise. But they threw themselves into studying birds and the work of other flying enthusiasts, hungry for even more information. In May 1899, Wilbur sat down to write a letter to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

[Neal Thompson]

The Wright brothers were familiar with flying.

[Lindsey Graham]

Experiments conducted by the Smithsonian's head secretary, Samuel Langley, and in his letter Wilbur explained that he had been interested in the problem of mechanical and human flight ever since I was a boy. He went on to say he was about to begin a systematic study of.

[Neal Thompson]

The subject and asked for any papers.

[Lindsey Graham]

The Smithsonian had published. He declared that he believed human flight is possible and practical and also insisted.

[Neal Thompson]

He was an enthusiast but not a crank.

[Lindsey Graham]

At the time, engineers and adventurers around the globe had been pursuing various schemes.

[Neal Thompson]

To reach the skies.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their earliest successful fliers had been aboard hot air balloons which became known as lighter than air machines. They required wind to carry them from point A to B. But the Wright brothers were more interested in gliders known as heavier than air machines. The best known glider tests had been.

[Neal Thompson]

Conducted by German Otto Lilienthal, who was.

[Lindsey Graham]

Killed in 1896 in the United States. The field had been advanced by the writings and wing designs of a Chicago based engineer, Octave Chanute, and by Samuel Langley, who had successfully flown unmanned steam.

[Neal Thompson]

Powered gliders through the 1890s and begun.

[Lindsey Graham]

Working toward an engine powered glider that.

[Neal Thompson]

Could car a pilot. That was the Wright brothers goal too.

[Lindsey Graham]

A controlled, powered, heavier than air glider.

[Neal Thompson]

The Smithsonian responded to Wilbur's request with.

[Lindsey Graham]

A list of books and sent along a number of pamphlets on aviation, which the Brothers devoured. Wilbur had developed a theory he called wing warping, which he believed was the key to controlled flight. He once used an empty cardboard box to explain it to his brother and sister. If he twisted one end of the box, the other end twisted in the opposite direction. This was similar to the way birds tipped up the end of one wing to turn in the opposite direction. For a glider to warp in this manner, Wilbur believed its wings should be.

[Neal Thompson]

Flexible and not rigid.

[Lindsey Graham]

To begin testing this theory in 1899.

[Neal Thompson]

The brothers crafted their first glider in the workshop above their cycle shop.

[Lindsey Graham]

It consisted of two five foot wings.

[Neal Thompson]

Stacked 18 inches apart.

[Lindsey Graham]

They attached four cords, two on each end, to control the wings, similar to.

[Neal Thompson]

The way a puppeteer controls a marionette.

[Lindsey Graham]

After successfully testing the glider in a.

[Neal Thompson]

Field that summer, the brothers then decided.

[Lindsey Graham]

To build a larger flying machine, one that could carry a pilot.

[Neal Thompson]

Then, In May of 1900, Wilbur wrote to an aeronautical pioneer, the French American engineer and flying enthusiast, Octave Chanute.

[Lindsey Graham]

Chanute had emigrated to the United States.

[Neal Thompson]

In 1838 and was a respected civil engineer who helped design and build bridges.

[Lindsey Graham]

And railroads, as well as America's two largest stockyards in Chicago and Kansas City.

[Neal Thompson]

In his retirement, he became interested in aviation, and in 1894, Chanute published an influential book called Progress in Flying Machines, which Wilbur had read to Orville during his recovery from typhoid. Now Wilbur wrote to Chanute, seeking advice on where he and Orville should fly their nuke liner. Knowing that they needed a place with steady winds to test the machine and their theories, based on Chanute's suggestions and information from the U.S. weather Bureau, they chose a desolate location 700 miles away from their home in Dayton. Until now, their interest and experiments had been mostly theoretical. But they knew that to get their glider into the air, they'd have to take an incredible risk. History Daily is sponsored by Acorns.

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[Lindsey Graham]

The summer of 1900, Wilbur and Orville Wright were ready to start testing the full sized glider they built in their Dayton, Ohio, workshop. They needed a wide open testing ground with steady winds and no rain and ideally someplace sandy to cushion any crashes.

[Neal Thompson]

Based on these criteria, the civil engineer.

[Lindsey Graham]

Octave Chanute had suggested they consider Florida.

[Neal Thompson]

California, South Carolina or Georgia.

[Lindsey Graham]

Then Wilbur received a letter from the U.S. weather Bureau that included monthly wind velocities from more than a hundred weather stations around the country.

[Neal Thompson]

One location stood out Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

[Lindsey Graham]

Wilbur wrote to the weather station at Kitty hawk and in August 1900 received a reply from the town's former postmaster, a fisherman named William Tait.

[Neal Thompson]

In his letter, Tate described the sand.

[Lindsey Graham]

Dunes and steady winds on the north end of North Carolina's narrow barrier islands, known as the Outer Banks. Tait then suggested the brothers visit and.

[Neal Thompson]

Offered his services, writing, I will take.

[Lindsey Graham]

Pleasure in doing all I can for your convenience. Encouraged by Tate's offer, the Wrights finished work on their glider, then carefully took it apart and packed it into crates.

[Neal Thompson]

They decided Wilbur would travel to Kitty.

[Lindsey Graham]

Hawk in early September to set up a camp and test area, and Orville would follow a few weeks later.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur was now 33 and Orville 29.

[Lindsey Graham]

And the farthest either brother had ever traveled from home was to Chicago for the World's Fair seven years earlier. Kitty Hawk was much farther away and.

[Neal Thompson]

Would be no easy trip.

[Lindsey Graham]

Wilbur's train ride to Norfolk, Virginia, took 24 hours. From there, it took another day to.

[Neal Thompson]

Reach Elizabeth City, N.C. when he missed.

[Lindsey Graham]

The weekly mailboat out to the Outer Banks. He was forced to spend another four days trying to find someone who could ferry him and his crated up glider the final 40 miles miles across to Kitty Hawk.

[Neal Thompson]

Desperate, Wilbur finally hired a man with.

[Lindsey Graham]

A filthy and rat infested schooner. They left shore the afternoon of September.

[Neal Thompson]

11, but just hours into the crossing.

[Lindsey Graham]

They ran into a violent storm that.

[Neal Thompson]

Shredded the sails and threatened to sink the leaky boat.

[Lindsey Graham]

When the storm finally eased around midnight, they dropped anchor and slept on board.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur reached Kitty Hawk the following night.

[Lindsey Graham]

Relieved that at least his glider hadn't gone overboard. By the time his brother Orville reached.

[Neal Thompson]

Kitty Hawk two weeks later, Wilbur had made a new friend, William Bill Tait.

[Lindsey Graham]

The fisherman and former postmaster who had encouraged them to come. He had helped Wilbur set up his makeshift camp, and together they begun assembling the Wright's Glider.

[Neal Thompson]

With just 50 small homes in Kitty.

[Lindsey Graham]

Hawk, most occupied by fishermen and their families, the sight of the Wright's flying machine became an instant curiosity. Also curious were the brothers themselves. Locals observed that they usually dressed as if for church and often argued with.

[Neal Thompson]

Each other, but said little to strangers.

[Lindsey Graham]

They also worked relentlessly to assemble their strange and complicated machine. They slept in a tent, sometimes shivering beneath blankets as cold winds blew outside. When the wind was too strong for.

[Neal Thompson]

Flying, they watched the many shorebirds and took notes.

[Lindsey Graham]

And by early October, the Wright brothers full size glider was finally assembled and ready to test.

[Neal Thompson]

It consisted of two identical wings, 17ft.

[Lindsey Graham]

By 5ft, each wrapped in white sateen fabric and mounted on wood framing held together by wire. A flat rudder section they called an elevator jutted out the front. Designed to control up and down motion.

[Neal Thompson]

The glider had no tail and weighed roughly 50 pounds.

[Lindsey Graham]

The brothers first tested their machine as a kite, holding onto it and steering it with ropes from the ground, similar to how Wilbur had flown the first smaller glider back in Dayton the year before.

[Neal Thompson]

But at Kitty Hawk, steady winds of.

[Lindsey Graham]

15 to 20 miles an hour and occasionally gusting up to 30 made it difficult to prevent the glider from soaring off. In fact, one day a sudden gust flipped the glider as it lay on the ground and sent Orville flying 20ft. The glider was smashed and took several days to repair. But finally, after two weeks of testing.

[Neal Thompson]

Taking notes and making adjustments, Wilbur was.

[Lindsey Graham]

Ready to fly the glider himself.

[Neal Thompson]

Lying flat in a small gap in the middle of the lower wing, he.

[Lindsey Graham]

Would control the glider, using his feet.

[Neal Thompson]

To nudge a T shaped wooden device connected by wires to the wings. A slight push left or right would.

[Lindsey Graham]

Twist the wings and turn the glider.

[Neal Thompson]

In either direction, he'd control up and down movement using a lever that tilted the elevator in front of him. After climbing in and preparing for his test, Wilbur managed to get airborne a few times, but only for short hops.

[Lindsey Graham]

And low to the ground. He needed more speed and height if.

[Neal Thompson]

He had any chance of staying in the air. And that's when Bill Tate had an idea. Imagine it's October 19th, 1900.

[Lindsey Graham]

You're a fisherman and former postmaster in.

[Neal Thompson]

The coastal North Carolina town of Kitty Hawk. For weeks you've been helping two bicycle makers from Ohio who've come to your windswept town to fly their homemade glider. At first you thought they were crazy.

[Lindsey Graham]

But you've been impressed by their hard work and fearlessness.

[Neal Thompson]

After watching one of the brothers crash the glider a few days ago, though, you suggested they try launching from a higher location, a series of high dunes four miles away. So today you're helping them drag their.

[Lindsey Graham]

Glider and equipment up to Kill Devil Hills.

[Neal Thompson]

As you trudge through the sand beside orville, ascending the 100 foot dune known as Big Hill Hill, the wind kicks up and you start to realize this might have been a mistake. I don't know. You sure about this? The wind's much more intense up here. It can easily gust the 30, even 40 miles an hour.

[Lindsey Graham]

Well, it is risky for sure, but we need more wind.

[Neal Thompson]

If we can get a steady 30 miles an hour, I think that's ideal for takeoff. And you can handle up to 40? I believe so. Well, at least with the steeper drop, you'll get more momentum sliding down the launch rails and a downslope to land on. We don't want another repeat of last time. Last time was a first good flight, but we need more lift, more wind and more time in the air to work out the kinks of the controls. As you reach the top of Big.

[Lindsey Graham]

Hill, you catch your breath and take.

[Neal Thompson]

In the view with the blue green Atlantic less than a mile to the east, Roanoke Sound to the west and.

[Lindsey Graham]

The rolling dunes to the north.

[Neal Thompson]

That's beautiful, isn't it? Not a tree or bush in sight. Just sand and more sand. But Orville isn't paying attention to the view. Well, we've got work to do. Let's get the launch rail set up. You join the Wright brothers as they.

[Lindsey Graham]

Begin to assemble the wooden rails that.

[Neal Thompson]

You hope will launch their glider to the sky. But you also hope it wasn't a bad idea to bring them up to Big Hill. You'd hate for your suggestion to cause one of the Wright brothers to get seriously hurt.

[Lindsey Graham]

On October 19, after weeks of testing.

[Neal Thompson]

Near Kitty Hawk, the Wrights agreed with.

[Lindsey Graham]

Bill Tate's suggestion to drag their glider.

[Neal Thompson]

Up to the high dunes known as Kill Devil Hills.

[Lindsey Graham]

There, Wilbur made his first truly successful flights, soaring 100 yards and reaching speeds.

[Neal Thompson]

Of 30 miles an hour.

[Lindsey Graham]

Except for a few crashes that required repairs, Wilbur managed to stay airborne for 15 seconds at a time, easily the longest flights the Wrights had made during their time there. But Bill Tate and other observers who witnessed Wilbur's crashes were convinced the brothers were crazy to take such risks.

[Neal Thompson]

Five days later, the Wrights packed up to leave.

[Lindsey Graham]

The combined total time in the air of Wilbur's flights was only about two.

[Neal Thompson]

Minutes, but they were satisfied with their accomplishments.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their battered machine had served its purpose, so they left it behind.

[Neal Thompson]

And Bill Tate's wife salvaged the sateen.

[Lindsey Graham]

Fabric from the wings to make dresses for their daughters.

[Neal Thompson]

Orville and Wilbur had thrived at Kitty Hawk despite many hardships, and they returned home to Dayton determined to learn and experiment more, so that when they came back to Kitty Hawk, it would be with a bigger, better machine.

[Lindsey Graham]

Back home in Dayton, Ohio, in early 1901, Wilbur wrote again to Octave Chanute to explain how he and Orville were.

[Neal Thompson]

Now building what they believed would be.

[Lindsey Graham]

The largest glider ever constructed. Chanute wrote back, saying he'd be passing through Dayton and wanted to visit.

[Neal Thompson]

The Wrights were grateful for the interest.

[Lindsey Graham]

Of a respected aviation pioneer like Chanute.

[Neal Thompson]

But they also preferred working without visitors or interruption.

[Lindsey Graham]

Wilbur warned Chanute that he and his brother were putting in 14 hour days.

[Neal Thompson]

On the new glider, though they would.

[Lindsey Graham]

Be willing to see him on their day off, a Sunday. Chanute arrived on a Wednesday, but the two Wright brothers and their father and sister welcomed him into their home anyway. Before he left, Chanute gave the brothers a gift, a French anemometer, an instrument that measured wind speed to help them with their upcoming flight tests. Then that July, the Wrights headed back to Kitty Hawk with their new glider, arriving just after a hurricane had swept.

[Neal Thompson]

Over the Outer Banks.

[Lindsey Graham]

This time, the Wrights made camp at.

[Neal Thompson]

The foot of Kill Devil Hills, closer.

[Lindsey Graham]

To their launching ground. And in setting up camp, they were eager to improve their living conditions. With the help from Bill Tate, they.

[Neal Thompson]

Drove a 12 foot pipe into the.

[Lindsey Graham]

Sand to get drinking water and had lumber shipped over to build a shed.

[Neal Thompson]

That served as a workshop and sleeping quarters.

[Lindsey Graham]

But despite the improved accommodations, they still had to contend with the unpredictability of nature. On July 18, just as they were ready to start flying, a massive cloud of Mosquitoes swarmed the area.

[Neal Thompson]

Orville wrote to his sister to describe.

[Lindsey Graham]

How the insects nearly blocked out the.

[Neal Thompson]

Sun and complained that their bites covered his body, leaving lumps the size of hen's eggs. But finally, on July 27, the mosquitoes.

[Lindsey Graham]

Cleared and the brothers were ready to begin testing their glider again. Wilbur was the pilot. Bill Tate and his brother Dan helped Orville carry the glider back up to its launch spot after every one of Wilbur's flights. Unfortunately, this new machine performed poorly, worse than the previous year's glider.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur found it difficult to get enough.

[Lindsey Graham]

Lift, and when they made adjustments to.

[Neal Thompson]

The front elevator, it created too much lift. Wilbur declared that something was radically wrong.

[Lindsey Graham]

He and Orville tore apart the wings and rebuilt them with less curvature, hoping.

[Neal Thompson]

That flattening them would help. And by early August, they were ready to try again.

[Lindsey Graham]

Now, with the reconstructed wings, the glider performed better, reaching speeds of 20 miles an hour. But there were still some control issues.

[Neal Thompson]

And in one crash, Wilbur badly bruised his face and ribs.

[Lindsey Graham]

Still, with every flight, they managed to achieve a little bit more success. Octave Chanute, who had come to visit.

[Neal Thompson]

For a few days, thought the flights were quite impressive. After watching Wilbur sail 100 yards at.

[Lindsey Graham]

A time and skimming the ground for.

[Neal Thompson]

Smooth landings, Chanute left Kitty Hawk convinced.

[Lindsey Graham]

That the Wrights had made more progress.

[Neal Thompson]

Than anyone else in the flying game so far.

[Lindsey Graham]

But the brothers, on the other hand.

[Neal Thompson]

Returned home to Dayton dejected. On the train ride west in late August 1901, Wilbur complained that many of their calculations seemed worthless, and they were still just groping in the dark. It had been a rough summer of rain and mosquitoes, and in a rare expression of gloom, Wilbur told Orville that not in a thousand years would man fly. They soon realized that they would have to rethink everything and cast aside all.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their previous assumptions in order to crack the code of flight.

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[Business Wars]

On January 5, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171passengers. This heart stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant Boeing. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of damning scandals and deadly crashes that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 Max. The latest season of Business wars explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering, descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees. And what, if anything, can save the company's reputation now? Follow Business wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge business the Unraveling of Boeing early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Lindsey Graham]

In The summer of 1901, the race to create a flying machine.

[Neal Thompson]

Was picking up pace.

[Lindsey Graham]

Inventors in Britain, France and elsewhere were launching experimental aircraft skyward. But by the turn of the century.

[Neal Thompson]

One of the most promising and best.

[Lindsey Graham]

Known was the large multi wing machine being developed by Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian Institute based on the success of the unmanned steam powered gliders he had flown in the 1890s, Langley had received $50,000 in grant funding from the United States War Department to build his newest.

[Neal Thompson]

Machine, a dinosaur looking beast called the Great Aerodrome.

[Lindsey Graham]

By comparison, the Wright's glider, really an oversized kite, seemed like a modest competitor to Langley's well funded, well publicized invention. And while Langley received public funds and adulation from the press, the Wright brothers worked mostly in obscurity and on their own dime. So it was especially discouraging to return home from Kitty Hawk with less than stellar results. But the brothers did what they always.

[Neal Thompson]

Did got back to work in their shop.

[Lindsey Graham]

Optimism, determination and recovery from setback came naturally to them. Orville would later say that during rough.

[Neal Thompson]

Patches there was some spirit that carried us through. They also had an eager champion in.

[Lindsey Graham]

Octave Chanute who had been impressed by.

[Neal Thompson]

The flights he witnessed at Kitty Hawk.

[Lindsey Graham]

In late August of 1901, just days after returning home, the Wrights received a letter from Chanute. He wanted Wilbur to come to Chicago and speak about their experiments before a meeting of the Western Society of Engineers. Wilbur reluctantly agreed, and on September 18th he nervously delivered an address.

[Neal Thompson]

He called Some aeronautical experiments. This would be the first public account.

[Lindsey Graham]

Of the Wright brothers glider flights and.

[Neal Thompson]

Their theories on flying.

[Lindsey Graham]

In the years ahead, it would be.

[Neal Thompson]

Quoted frequently, becoming something of a bible for future aeronautics enthusiasts.

[Lindsey Graham]

In his address, which was later published in the Society of Engineers journal, Wilbur made the point that practical experiments were essential to progress, telling the audience, if you really wish to learn, you must mount a machine and become acquainted with its tricks by actual trial. And a few months after giving this.

[Neal Thompson]

Talk, on January 25, 1902, the Wright.

[Lindsey Graham]

Brothers received their first ever mention in the press, a brief article in the Dayton Daily News that said their successful experiments in North Carolina might revolutionize the work of experts in making tests of aerial navigation. The two brothers appreciated the recognition, but they were already looking ahead to next.

[Neal Thompson]

Year'S trip to Kitty Hawk, and there was much work to be done.

[Lindsey Graham]

So in the second floor workshop above.

[Neal Thompson]

Their bicycle shop, they built a wind.

[Lindsey Graham]

Tunnel to conduct tests on wing shapes. This six foot long wooden box had a high powered fan at one end. At the other, they tested the effect of the air on miniature wings they made with old hacksaw blades cut into different sizes and hammered and bent into different shapes. They tested the aerodynamic performance of each tiny wing by attaching them to a contraption consisting of the rim of a bicycle wheel mounted on the handlebars of another bicycle.

[Neal Thompson]

Octave Chanute knew the brothers were using.

[Lindsey Graham]

Their own funds for their scrappy, homemade tests, so he offered to help find them a financial patron like Andrew Carnegie, who Chanute knew personally. Wilbur politely declined, telling Chanute they intended to keep paying for all their own equipment and experiments. With profits from the bicycle shop, the.

[Neal Thompson]

Brothers had decided early on that they'd.

[Lindsey Graham]

Rather control their experiments and own any future patents without entering into a relationship.

[Neal Thompson]

With an outside partner.

[Lindsey Graham]

This decision to keep their work, a family enterprise, would contribute to their reputation as secretive and insular. It also meant they'd have to constantly.

[Neal Thompson]

Raise their own funding.

[Lindsey Graham]

And in fact, they couldn't afford to.

[Neal Thompson]

Build their next glider until they sold enough bicycles to pay for it.

[Lindsey Graham]

The end result of all their hard work, the wind tunnel tests and further tinkering, was a redesigned glider with reshaped and much larger wings. At 32ft long, they were nearly twice the size of the glider Wilbur had flown two years earlier.

[Neal Thompson]

And in September of 1902, the brothers disassembled the glider, packed it up in crates and returned to Kitty Hawk for the third time.

[Lindsey Graham]

For weeks they assembled their camp at Kill Devil Hills, including a more elaborate shed that served as sleeping quarters. And a workshop where they reassembled their third full size glider. But then they received a surprise visit from their older brother, Lauren, followed by.

[Neal Thompson]

Another unexpected visitor, Octave Chanute.

[Lindsey Graham]

Wilbur and Orville preferred working alone.

[Neal Thompson]

And rather than welcoming the support, they.

[Lindsey Graham]

Were irked by having guests.

[Neal Thompson]

They also didn't like sharing their workspace.

[Lindsey Graham]

And cramped living quarters. So by the time they were ready for Orville to take his turn at.

[Neal Thompson]

Piloting his first ever flights, the brothers.

[Lindsey Graham]

Were both in foul moods.

[Neal Thompson]

Then, on one of his test flights, Orville crashed. The brothers spent the next few days arguing over what went wrong and how to fix it. Imagine it's October 3, 1902.

[Lindsey Graham]

You and your younger brother are standing.

[Neal Thompson]

In your workshed sawing wood for a wing frame. You've been at Kitty Hawk for nearly a month, and the initial glider tests were going well. You even convinced Orville to finally make his first flights. But a few days ago, you watched.

[Lindsey Graham]

In horror as he rose straight up more than 30ft in the air, beard.

[Neal Thompson]

Hard right, and then crashed into the sand.

[Lindsey Graham]

You were relieved that he wasn't badly hurt.

[Neal Thompson]

But the glider was in pieces, so now you're trying to repair it.

[Lindsey Graham]

All the while, you and your brother.

[Neal Thompson]

Haven'T stopped arguing about what went wrong. I still say you forgot to use a front rudder. It'll take at least three days to make these repairs. I didn't forget. The front rudder isn't the problem. There's something wrong with the rear rudder. It's causing the machine to skid sideways. Now you just need more practice making turns. I've had plenty of practice, brother. I really think it's the rudder that's the problem. So I have an idea. What if we replaced a fixed rear rudder with a larger one that moved? Something we could control and give us another way to offset the drag? What, take the whole machine apart again? Not necessarily. I mean, if we removed the two.

[Lindsey Graham]

Vertical fins and built a single finned.

[Neal Thompson]

Rudder maybe 5ft high, we could make it hinged. A rear rudder that's hinged, not fixed. How would we control it? We can't keep adding components. It's going to get too complicated to fly. No, we could control it, and it wouldn't be that complicated. We could connect the rudder to a cradle on the wing beneath our hips. Maybe when we twist our hips to tilt the wings and turn, that twisting motion turns the rear rudder at the same time. Not well, actually. You normally scoff at Orville's ideas, and.

[Lindsey Graham]

To be honest, at almost any idea that's not yours.

[Neal Thompson]

But this Time. You're surprised to realize that your brother.

[Lindsey Graham]

Might be onto something.

[Neal Thompson]

Something you think this might give us more control? Well, it prevent the drag and the skidding I've been feeling in the air. Well, let's build this new runner of yours. Okay.

[Lindsey Graham]

When? Right now.

[Neal Thompson]

You realize that your resistance to other people's ideas and the constant bickering with.

[Lindsey Graham]

Your brother aren't your best qualities.

[Neal Thompson]

Something your sister has pointed out time after time. Then again, on days like today, sometimes these battles of will end up leading to new ideas. And your brother's suggestion may be a significant step forward.

[Lindsey Graham]

The Wright brothers had constructed their third glider based on wind tunnel tests they conducted in late 1901 and early 1902. And during initial flights at Kill Devil Hills in late September of 1902, it performed well enough. But after Orville crashed and repairs were needed, he argued they should rethink and refine the control system by building a new movable reader rudder. This was a significant improvement in their ability to control the glider in the air. Octave Chanute and the Wright's older brother.

[Neal Thompson]

Loren witnessed a few of these successful flights.

[Lindsey Graham]

And after they left, Wilbur and Orbl stayed, continuing taking turns flying. Through mid October, they made hundreds of test flights, some of them very short, but all providing valuable data.

[Neal Thompson]

Despite dealing with cold weather, heavy rain.

[Lindsey Graham]

And subsisting largely on canned beans, the two brothers were elated by their most successful set of test flights so far.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur wrote to his father, we now.

[Lindsey Graham]

Believe that the flying problem is really nearing its solution. After leaving the Outer Banks, Octave Chanute briefly visited Samuel Langley at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and told him about.

[Neal Thompson]

The Wright brothers successes.

[Lindsey Graham]

He encouraged Langley to go see for himself.

[Neal Thompson]

But when Langley sent a wire to Kitty Hawkins asking the Wrights if he might visit, they told him it was too late. They were packing up to leave. Back home in Dayton, the Wrights read.

[Lindsey Graham]

Stories about Langley, who had continued to develop his aerodrome flying machine. And in early 1903 Langley announced plans.

[Neal Thompson]

To begin testing it by launching it from a large houseboat on the Potomac.

[Lindsey Graham]

River near the nation's capital.

[Neal Thompson]

Wilbur and Orville may have enjoyed scrapping.

[Lindsey Graham]

With one another, but they rarely got bothered by competitors. Yet in the aftermath of their successful.

[Neal Thompson]

Flights at the Outer Banks and now reading about Langley's attempts, they began to feel slighted.

[Lindsey Graham]

They had flown farther and longer than anyone in a heavier than air machine, but still received limited recognition from the.

[Neal Thompson]

Press or the scientific community. Overshadowed by well financed experiments like Langley's.

[Lindsey Graham]

They were still just a curiosity.

[Neal Thompson]

Two strange, straight, laced bicycle makers from Ohio. And if they wanted to pull ahead in the race toward flight, they needed more power than just the winds off Kitty Hawk. So the Wright brothers would have to make an innovative breakthrough to gain the acclaim and recognition they felt they deserved from Wondery.

[Lindsey Graham]

This is episode one of our three.

[Neal Thompson]

Part series, the Wright Brothers from American Historytellers. On the next episode, as Samuel Langley attempts to launch his highly anticipated aerodrome machine before large crowds outside Washington on the sand dunes of North Carolina's Outer Banks, the Wright Brothers make a leap forward. If you'd like to learn more about the Wright brothers, we recommend the Wright Brothers by David McCullough and Birdmen by Lawrence Goldstone. American Historytellers has hosted, edited and produced, produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship Audio editing by Christian Peraga sound design by Molly Bach music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written by Neal Thompson edited by Dorian Marina produced by Alida Ryazanski. Managing producers are Desi Blaylock and Matt Gant Senior managing producer, Ryan Moore senior producer Andy Herman. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Beckman, Marshall.

[Lindsey Graham]

Louie and Aaron O'Flair for wandering.