Iron, Balsa Wood, And Canvas
The Wright Brothers Original bike shop is were the
made all of their custom parts for their plane.
When the Wrights started their testing in 1897, they started with simple gliders testing wind resistance, airfoil design and flight controls. The Wright Brothers philosophy of powered flight originated from early studies of control and aerodynamics of simple gliders. They then predicted that more sophisticated powered aircraft could sustain controlled flight. Much of what the Wright brothers learned about gliders came from early flight enthusiasts Sir George Cayley and Otto Lilienthal. These two were known as the forefathers of flight. Their experiments with gliders helped lead the Wright Brothers towards their goal of powered flight.
The Wright brothers used the highest grade aluminum that was available to them at their time to custom make there own engine. A first of its kind, the lightweight aluminum engine met their thrust and weight requirements. To this day, aluminum is still an important construction material for aircraft. This is because it is a lightweight, but strong metal. The wing ribs were built of two thin strips of ash with small blocks in between. "The curvature of the airfoil was 1 in 20." The fabric was unbleached muslin, similar to early gliders. However, the Wrights covered the bottom of the wings with this material creating a smoother surface resulting in better aerodynamics. They used two large propellers and a slow-turning design that was very efficient. They made the props turn in opposite directions to counter the gyroscopic effects of the whirling blades. The transmission was a simple chain-and-sprocket arrangement that ran from the engine shaft to the steel prop shafts. They made the props spin opposite directions (to avoid gyroscopic effects of the props) by twisting one of the chains in a figure-eight.
The Wright brothers used the highest grade aluminum that was available to them at their time to custom make there own engine. A first of its kind, the lightweight aluminum engine met their thrust and weight requirements. To this day, aluminum is still an important construction material for aircraft. This is because it is a lightweight, but strong metal. The wing ribs were built of two thin strips of ash with small blocks in between. "The curvature of the airfoil was 1 in 20." The fabric was unbleached muslin, similar to early gliders. However, the Wrights covered the bottom of the wings with this material creating a smoother surface resulting in better aerodynamics. They used two large propellers and a slow-turning design that was very efficient. They made the props turn in opposite directions to counter the gyroscopic effects of the whirling blades. The transmission was a simple chain-and-sprocket arrangement that ran from the engine shaft to the steel prop shafts. They made the props spin opposite directions (to avoid gyroscopic effects of the props) by twisting one of the chains in a figure-eight.