ganeshpuri89 on May 15, 2008 at 5:37 PM

You know what else happened on that flight? Mr. Furnas’ luggage was lost…

On 14 May, on the first flight of the day, Wilbur Wright and Charles Furnas, an employee of the Wrights, flew together very briefly on the first airplane passenger flight in history. Then Furnas flew with Orville for nearly three minutes. The last flight of the day, made by Wilbur Wright, ended in an accident after he inadvertently pulled the wrong lever. Since repairs to the machine would have taken a week and since the brothers could spare no more time, the flights were ended for the time being.

As the Wrights were the only bidders known to have flown successfully, their flights in May 1908 were covered by the still doubtful press. D. B. Salley, a free lance reporter, from Norfolk, Virginia, was the first to arrive, and his wires to several papers brought more correspondents to the scene. The New York Herald sent its star reporter Byron R. Newton, who predicted, after seeing the flights, that Congress would erect a monument to the Wrights at Kitty Hawk.* The New York American had William Hoster there, and the London Daily Mail sent P. H. McGowan. Among the last to arrive were Arthur Ruhl and J. H. Hare, photographer, both from Collier’s Weekly magazine. The reporters, thinking the Wrights preferred privacy, hid in the pine woods near the Wright camp and watched the flying through field glasses. At first their stories were doubted by the editors of the various newspapers and it was thought best by some of them to print the information on some obscure inner page. The Collier’s article appeared with pictures, and Ruhl told how the correspondents had informed the world that man could fly. Despite the publicity, the public was still not entirely convinced.

Errr – I got nothin’.

The definitive image of the Wright Brothers’ world-first flight has been a sepia-toned photograph [snapped by John T. Daniels], faded by time, from those scant airborne seconds of Dec. 17, 1903.

It was the first picture taken, but not the first published of the aviation pioneers in flight. That distinction belongs to an image captured May 14, 1908 — 100 years ago on Wednesday — by one of America’s first photojournalists, James H. Hare, according to Tise’s tireless research into all things involving the Wright Brothers.

    
A Swiss pilot strapped on a jet-powered wing and leaped from a plane Wednesday for the first public demonstration of the homemade device, turning figure eights and soaring high above the Alps.
Yves Rossy’s performance f…

I don’t think this was made by Acme.

txsurveyor on May 15, 2008 at 1:04 PM

Gee I hope not, if it was made by ACME I don’t think I’d fly it as ACME is not ISO certified and therefore their quality is sub-par. If you don’t believe me just ask the coyote after he regains consciousness from his last ACME mishap!

fossten, did you mean poop flares?

aceinstall on May 15, 2008 at 2:29 PM

LOL no that wasn’t a typo.

Drudge is featuring soldier’s future “robo suits”.

To imagine our future military suits of armor and winged troops and droned security–shock and awe.

The dream of mankind, realized.

And a song that Elton John sang about 35 years ago.

I’d hate to encounter a heat sensing SAM during combat operations though. You can’t eject.

ThackerAgency on May 15, 2008 at 12:43 PM

Heh. Hadn’t thought of that scenario.

Wouldn’t matter if you could, though. The SAM would still be drawn to the latent heat in the engines. Now if you could pop flares…

Let’s see DoD develop this into the latest terrorist feces reliever! Osama better watch his back.

Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 15, 2008 at 12:22 PM

Yes, I’m sure crapping their pants is the first thing they’ll do at the sight of an enemy infantry unit without cover.

“I’ve had many ‘whoops’ moments,” he said. “My safety is altitude.”

There’s an old saying among pilots:

The three most useless things to a pilot are the altitude above you, the runway behind you, and a tenth of a second ago.

once the 3G iPhone debuts this summer.

Pfffft! We’re building 4G now. 3G is to 4G what analog TV is to HDTV.

Wiley Coyote eat your heart out.

fogw on May 15, 2008 at 12:59 PM

I don’t think this was made by Acme.

Cobra had something similar. Theirs had missiles, too.

The C.L.A.W.

World B. Free on May 15, 2008 at 12:42 PM

This thing can hide and carry 100 lb’s of combat gear in a built-in compartment. Let your imagination go.

I’d hate to encounter a heat sensing SAM during combat operations though. You can’t eject.

ThackerAgency on May 15, 2008 at 12:43 PM

I know your joking, but actually you can eject, read the article and find that there is a way to pull a handle and dump the rocket and come down on the parachute.