On May 13, 2005, at 10:31 AM, jcluf wrote:
> Their application of high school physics and math along with their
> determination and imaginations let them soar literally.
Interesting example. The Wright brothers were excellent mechanics, and
their success was due to the light-weight engine they designed from
scratch and their implementation of a control system. The basic
aerodynamic theory had mostly been worked out, but they realized real
quick that the data they had access to wasn't correct. Among their
accomplishments was construction of a wind tunnel to generate
aerodynamic data like lift and drag coefficients for wing and control
surface design. Their approach was pretty much empirical, and their
testing programs was excellent.
It's also fair to point out that their sister Katharine not only managed the bike shop successfully when they were in North Carolina. She also managed the affairs of the airplane business, including customer contacts, because WIlbur and Orville didn't really have the necessary social skills.
Katharine was a college graduate, but Wilbur and Orville didn't finish high-school. Orville didn't follow the standard curriculum and didn't qualify for graduation because he opted for advanced college prep course-work. Wilbur didn't finish because the family moved back to Dayton although he also took college prep courses, hoping to go to Yale. Both were smart as a whip and made damn fine grades. Both supplemented their formal education with considerable private study. They were fine engineers in every sense.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at <a href="/group/PipingDesign/post?postID=owVvJbsRKZ77Yebb75RanALIgezPW4ED_lBwRw842_2BDKo3UPV7erfYTKvnLYXAt3C9BimSz8WopwU_Z4Y">chrisw@skypoint.com</a> | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania1864)
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