The Wright Brothers. Chapter 2, Lesson 1 Chapter Overview The Wright Brothers Developing Aircraft.

The Wright BrothersThe Wright BrothersThe Wright BrothersThe Wright Brothers

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Chapter OverviewChapter OverviewChapter OverviewChapter Overview

The Wright Brothers

Developing Aircraft

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Lesson OverviewLesson OverviewLesson OverviewLesson Overview

How the Wright brothers succeeded in the first flight

The anatomy of the Wright Flyer The principles of airplane flight The history of the Wright brothers’

involvement with the US Army

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Warm Up QuestionsWarm Up Questions

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(1-2)(1-2)

Warm Up QuestionsWarm Up Questions

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(1-2)(1-2)

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Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Quick WriteQuick WriteQuick WriteQuick Write

As you read in Chapter 1, the Wright As you read in Chapter 1, the Wright brothers were the first to conduct a brothers were the first to conduct a manned, controlled, sustained, and manned, controlled, sustained, and powered heavier-than-air flight. powered heavier-than-air flight.

Many others had tried unsuccessfully to Many others had tried unsuccessfully to do this. List the reasons for the do this. List the reasons for the

Wrights’ success.Wrights’ success.(Note to Instructor: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS)(Note to Instructor: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS)

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

How the Wright Brothers How the Wright Brothers Succeeded in the First FlightSucceeded in the First FlightHow the Wright Brothers How the Wright Brothers

Succeeded in the First FlightSucceeded in the First Flight

All pilots face three challenges: Get up in the air Stay up Control the craft

Pilots experimented in flight with: Manned and powered, full-size aircraft Models Full-size gliders

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Learning Check #1Learning Check #1

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Learning Check #1Learning Check #1

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Chapter 2, Lesson 1

How the Wright Brothers How the Wright Brothers Succeeded in the First Flight Succeeded in the First Flight How the Wright Brothers How the Wright Brothers

Succeeded in the First Flight Succeeded in the First Flight

The Wrights chose a glider as their starting point

They could focus first on balancing and controlling the aircraft

Power (an engine) could come later They applied what they learned at each

step to make the next one go more smoothly

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Step One: Step One: Unmanned Box KiteUnmanned Box Kite

Step One: Step One: Unmanned Box KiteUnmanned Box Kite

The Wrights’ kite had A five-foot wingspan

and biplane structure Struts that connected

the upper and lower wings

Bracing strung diagonally between the struts

Courtesy of the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Step One: Step One: Unmanned Box KiteUnmanned Box Kite

Step One: Step One: Unmanned Box KiteUnmanned Box Kite

They discovered that they didn’t need to tilt an entire wing to turn the craft:

Needed to twist only the ends of the wings

They called this process “wing warping”

In the summer of 1899, Wilbur Wright successfully tested the kite in a field

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Step Two: Step Two: Manned GildersManned Gilders

Step Two: Step Two: Manned GildersManned Gilders

Between 1900 and 1902, the brothers built three gliders

Before putting a man aboard, they flew each glider like a kite

They wanted to test it for control and liftOnly after doing this would they put a

man aboard

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Wright GlidersWright GlidersWright GlidersWright Gliders

The early glider experiments taught the brothers three important things:

How to control climb and descent The best design for the shape of the wing How large the wing area had to be to

sustain lift

Courtesy of Wright State University

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The First Glider (1900)The First Glider (1900)The First Glider (1900)The First Glider (1900)

In their experiments in 1900, the Wrights placed an elevator at the front of the glider

Earlier designers mounted elevators behind the wings

But the Wrights found it easier to control climb and descent when the elevator was placed forward

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The First GliderThe First GliderThe First GliderThe First Glider

They also focused on airfoilairfoil—a wing’s profileZeroed in on curve of the wingTried to design a wing that shifted the center

of pressure toward the front edge of the wing

Placed the highest point of the wing’s arc closer to the outer edge than to the center—to create greater stability and control

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The First GliderThe First GliderThe First GliderThe First Glider

The brothers test-flew their glider at Kill Devil Hills in 1900

It didn’t crash, but clearly improvements were necessary

The Wrights headed back to Ohio to build the next version

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The Second Glider (1901)The Second Glider (1901)The Second Glider (1901)The Second Glider (1901)

The first glider didn’t have nearly enough lift So for their 1901 glider, the brothers

increased the wing area to 290 square feet This glider was also a big disappointment The brothers couldn’t control it well when

they tested it at Kill Devil Hills It flew less than 300 feet—time to return to

Dayton!

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The Wind TunnelThe Wind TunnelThe Wind TunnelThe Wind Tunnel

The brothers built a wind tunnel in their bicycle shop to test model-size wings

Made them of sheet steel Cut more than 200 model

wings of different shapes

Courtesy of Wright State University

Chapter 1, Lesson 1

Learning Check #2Learning Check #2

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Learning Check #2Learning Check #2

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(5-6)(5-6)

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Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The Third Glider (1902)The Third Glider (1902)The Third Glider (1902)The Third Glider (1902)

This glider had two fixed, vertical rudders behind the wings

Test flights showed that this resulted in erratic behavior during turns

So the Wrights tried a single, movable, vertical rudder

This improved control

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The Third GliderThe Third GliderThe Third GliderThe Third Glider

The third glider had:Forward elevatorElliptical shapeLonger, skinnier wingsWing area of 305 feetLow angle of attack

This design was a success The brothers took to the air in the North

Carolina dunes more than 700 times in the fall of 1902

Courtesy of NASA

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Step Three: A Manned, Step Three: A Manned, Powered AircraftPowered Aircraft

Step Three: A Manned, Step Three: A Manned, Powered AircraftPowered Aircraft

The brothers set out to fit their plane with an engine

They tried to buy one ready made

But no one met their needs or price

So they had their bicycle mechanic, Charles E. Taylor, build them a four-cylinder, 12-horsepower engine

The 1903 Engine viewed from the side

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

DelaysDelaysDelaysDelays

In September 1903 they returned to Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills

First they had to build a trolley track to give their powered aircraft a running start

Bad weather also caused delays The brothers tossed a coin, and Wilbur won However, on the first test flight of the Wright

Flyer, he crashed it It took three days to repair the damaged craft

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

First Flight!First Flight!First Flight!First Flight!

On 17 December, Orville took the controls The Flyer rose into the air and stayed aloft

for 12 seconds and traveled 120 feet Orville had made the first controlled,

sustained, heavier-than-air human flight with a powered aircraft

The brothers took turns piloting the Flyer for three more flights

The fourth and final launch lasted 59 seconds, and the craft traveled 852 feet

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Anatomy of the Anatomy of the Wright FlyerWright FlyerAnatomy of the Anatomy of the Wright FlyerWright Flyer

Equipped with an engine and propellers Biplane with wingspan of 40 feet, four inches,

and a wing area of 510 square feet Wings had spars and ribs (covered in muslin) Struts and bracing between top and bottom

wings Plane also had a front elevator Rudder at the rear (covered in muslin) Skids rather than wheels

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Anatomy of the Anatomy of the Wright FlyerWright Flyer Anatomy of the Anatomy of the Wright FlyerWright Flyer

Courtesy of Wright State University

The Axes of An AircraftAircraft in MotionAircraft in Motion

Lateral AxisLongitudinal Axis

Vertical Axis

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

How the How the FlyerFlyer Worked WorkedHow the How the FlyerFlyer Worked Worked

The brothers controlled their craft with:

the forward elevator the use of wing warping and a single, movable rear rudder

Surprisingly, the pilot did not sit upright

The pilot lay on his stomach in a padded cradle on the lower wing

Courtesy of Comstock Images

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

How the How the FlyerFlyer Worked Worked How the How the FlyerFlyer Worked Worked

To the pilot’s left was a lever that he used to control the up-and-down movement of the elevator

By moving his hips, he pulled on the cables connected to the wings and rudder (directing the plane left or right)With the new, flexible rudder, the plane finally turned

in the intended directionThe cables attached to the wings twisted one wing

down while forcing the other wing up

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Principles of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane Flight

To get the Wright Flyer off the ground, the brothers had to solve the principles of flight:

Lift Lift DragDrag Thrust Thrust Angle of attackAngle of attack Center of pressureCenter of pressure AirfoilAirfoil Relative windRelative wind

Orville and Wilbur assembling the 1903 Flyer (detail)

Courtesy of “Wright State University

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Principles of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane FlightPrinciples of Airplane Flight

An engine and propellers gave Wilbur and Orville the ability to use not only lift but also thrust to propel their plane

Vertically mounted propellers could provide the airflow for thrust

They needed 90 pounds of thrust to propel the Wright Flyer

Their 12-horsepower engine and the large propellers proved equal to the task

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Wright Brothers’ Involvement Wright Brothers’ Involvement With the US ArmyWith the US Army

Wright Brothers’ Involvement Wright Brothers’ Involvement With the US ArmyWith the US Army

The Wright brothers continued refining their airplane

In January 1905, they had contacted their representative in Congress (R. M. Nevin) and tried to interest the US government in buying their airplane

Their offer was turned down

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Wright Brothers’ Involvement Wright Brothers’ Involvement With the US ArmyWith the US Army

Wright Brothers’ Involvement Wright Brothers’ Involvement With the US ArmyWith the US Army

The British and French governments were interested in buying the Flyer

But the brothers wanted the US government to have the first crack at owning a Wright Flyer

On 22 May 1906 they received a government patent for their invention

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

The Wright Brothers’ PatentThe Wright Brothers’ PatentThe Wright Brothers’ PatentThe Wright Brothers’ Patent

Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Bids for a Government PlaneBids for a Government Plane Bids for a Government PlaneBids for a Government Plane

On 23 December 1907, Gen James Allen sent out a request for bids to build a plane for the government

The Wright Flyer met the bid requirements

Orville Wright signed a contract on 10 February 1908 selling the Flyer to the US government

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Ways the Wright Brothers Ways the Wright Brothers Contributed to Army AviationContributed to Army Aviation

Ways the Wright Brothers Ways the Wright Brothers Contributed to Army AviationContributed to Army Aviation

Orville spent much of 1908 and 1909 improving the Flyer

He made more test flights and took up military passengers

One such flight tragically ended in a crash that seriously injured Orville and killed 1st Lt Thomas Selfridge—the first US military aviation casualty

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Ways the Wright BrothersWays the Wright BrothersContributed to Army AviationContributed to Army Aviation

Ways the Wright BrothersWays the Wright BrothersContributed to Army AviationContributed to Army Aviation

The brothers switched roles in mid-1909 Wilbur trained two pilots for the Army—1st Lt

Frank P. Lahm and 2d Lt Fredric E. Humphreys

A third pilot, 1st Lt Benjamin Foulois, got instruction late that month

Foulois went on to achieve the rank of major general and was also chief of the Army Air Corps

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Army AirplanesArmy AirplanesArmy AirplanesArmy Airplanes

It took a while for the Army to decide how to use airplanes during war

At first, the Army thought that airplanes would be useful only for aerial reconnaissance

World War I brought about a change in strategy

But before that could happen, airplanes needed improvements to make them faster, sturdier, and more reliable

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Learning Check #3Learning Check #3

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(7-8)(7-8)

Learning Check #3Learning Check #3

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(7-8)(7-8)

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Chapter 2, Lesson 1

ReviewReviewReviewReview

The Wrights choose a glider as their starting point

They began in July 1899 with an unmanned box kite

Between 1900 and 1902, the brothers built three gliders—first flying them like a kite, then putting a man aboard

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

ReviewReviewReviewReview

The early glider experiments taught the brothers three important things:How to control climb and descentThe best design for the shape of the wingHow large the wing area had to be to

sustain liftOnce the Wrights had resolved

questions about control and lift, they set out to fit their plane with an engine

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

ReviewReviewReviewReview

On 17 December 1903 Orville made the first controlled, sustained, heavier-than-air human flight with a powered aircraft

The brothers controlled their craft through three main means:The forward elevatorThe use of wing warpingA single, movable rear rudder

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

ReviewReviewReviewReview

On 22 May 1906 the brothers received a government patent for their invention

On 10 February 1908 they sold the Wright Flyer to the US government

It took a while for the Army to decide how to use airplanes during war

Airplanes needed improvements to make them faster, sturdier, and more reliable

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Review QuestionsReview Questions

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(9-10)(9-10)

Review QuestionsReview Questions

CPS QuestionsCPS Questions(9-10)(9-10)

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Chapter 2, Lesson 1

SummarySummarySummarySummary

How the Wright brothers succeeded in the first flight

The anatomy of the Wright FlyerThe principles of airplane flightThe history of the Wright brothers’

involvement with the US Army

Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Next….Next….Next….Next….

Done—the Wright brothers

Next—developing aircraft

Courtesy of NASA