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Miracle at Kitty Hawk: The Letters of Wilbur and Orville Wright
On December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur (1867-1912) and Orville (1871-1948) Wright made the first controlled, sustained flights in a power-driven airplane. Relying on the facilities of a bicycle repair shop in Dayton, Ohio, they had constructed, alone, the world's first flying machines. Miracle at Kitty Hawk , an expert selection of 600 out of 10,000 existing letters, allows the reader to follow the excitement of discovery that kept the Wright brothers working on their incredible invention. With little formal education and the slight business background of selling and repairing bicycles, they overcame the problems that defeated the great scientific minds of the day, dealt with large corporations and governments on their own terms, and were recognized by their contemporaries as geniuses. Whether confronting adverse weather conditions, ensuring secrecy, trying to convince the U.S. government that they had actually flown, fighting patent infringements, or responding to public acclaim, these letters reveal the resourcefulness, good humor, and pluck of America's most famous brothers.
482 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 1996
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About the author
Wilbur Wright
42 books7 followersThe Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. From 1905 to 1907, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before. Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice. From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first airplane engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
Neither brother married. Wilbur once quipped that he did not have time for both a wife and an airplane. He became ill on a business trip to Boston in April 1912, the illness sometimes attributed to eating bad shellfish at a banquet. After returning to Dayton, he was diagnosed with typhoid fever. He lingered in and out of consciousness for several weeks until he died, at age 45, in the Wright family home on May 30. His father Milton wrote about Wilbur in his diary: "A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadfastly, he lived and died."
In early 2010, the Wright brothers were proposed by the Ohio Historical Society as finalists in a statewide vote for inclusion in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before. Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice. From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first airplane engine in close collaboration with the brothers.
The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.
Neither brother married. Wilbur once quipped that he did not have time for both a wife and an airplane. He became ill on a business trip to Boston in April 1912, the illness sometimes attributed to eating bad shellfish at a banquet. After returning to Dayton, he was diagnosed with typhoid fever. He lingered in and out of consciousness for several weeks until he died, at age 45, in the Wright family home on May 30. His father Milton wrote about Wilbur in his diary: "A short life, full of consequences. An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance and as great modesty, seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadfastly, he lived and died."
In early 2010, the Wright brothers were proposed by the Ohio Historical Society as finalists in a statewide vote for inclusion in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2021
With all due respect to Da Capo Press--I have and enjoy several books published by Da Capo--I think Orville and Wilbur Wright would have taken offense at the peculiar title of this book (Miracle at Kitty Hawk).
I suspect the Wright Brothers themselves would have wished to emphasize the fact that their work was the product of uniquely human skills such as patience, perseverance, research and analysis, trial and error, and good old fashioned hard work, rather than intangibles that diminish the human experience such as luck, magic, miracles, or providence.
Normally, I try not to pick on words when it serves no purpose, but in this case, whoever titled this particular publication really missed the boat . . . or the plane, literally.
I suspect the Wright Brothers themselves would have wished to emphasize the fact that their work was the product of uniquely human skills such as patience, perseverance, research and analysis, trial and error, and good old fashioned hard work, rather than intangibles that diminish the human experience such as luck, magic, miracles, or providence.
Normally, I try not to pick on words when it serves no purpose, but in this case, whoever titled this particular publication really missed the boat . . . or the plane, literally.
February 13, 2021
It's a hobby of mine to read something with local flavor when on a holiday. I chose this on a family trip to OBX, and it was an amazing experience to sit on the dunes at Kitty Hark while reading this.
November 5, 2015
I read this book after I read David McCullough's book on the Wright Brothers. These are selected letters, with a lot of the more technical letters culled out. Most of the letters in this collection were written by Wilbur. Even though his formal education ended after high school, he was well read and wrote well and often. You get a good sense of the cast of his mind and character. His sense of purpose and confidence is remarkable and inspiring.
January 22, 2009
A fascinating look at Orville and Wilbur and their thought process as they attempted the first powered flight, told through their letters.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews