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Just watched a show on the History channel last night. The Wrights
used wing warping, without knowing at the time about adverse yaw.
(They later corrected this omission with a steerable rudder.) I saw one
of their early man-carrying gliders replicated. When it tried to turn,
it actually slid sideways down the slope of air, spanwise, until the
lower wing tip hit the sand. Looking at their difficulties, it is hard
to believe they enjoyed the level of success they did.<br>
Several replicators on this TV show changed things so much I would be
embarrassed to call it a Wright Flyer. Harley engines, Briggs and
Stratton engines, (with an electric starter, no less!) were used, the
tail moments were changed, wheeled landing gear, etc. etc. until the
airplane didn't even look like the Wrights airplane.<br>
The people who have flown replicas, (mostly very experienced pilots)
have said that the original was very hard to fly. Must have been.
I'll take a Boeing.<br>
But, having been privileged to see the original in the NASM, I couldn't
help but be filled with awe and reverence at what the Wrights had
accomplished.<br>
Bill Glaze<br>
<br>
Henderson,Eric wrote:<br>
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cite="midE738E219A3E261479F5702D7EBBD3C5701F08A@bobcat.ent.gartner.com">
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"> I<span class="092404614-18122003">
have been avidly following the progress of the Wright Flyer replica.
It's driving me nuts watching them try to fly it. (Is there an
aeronautical engineer on the project? - looks a lot like pilots and
carpenters)</span></font></font></font></span></div>
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">From
where I sit, admittedly in my arm chair, the thing looks, acts and
flies very TAIL HEAVY! </span></font></font></font></span></div>
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">The
engines are behind the CG on the wings. There's almost nothing up front
to bring the CG to a decent stable point. Am I off base here?</span></font></font></font></span></div>
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">Also I
have meddled with models of the plane a little. Wing warping that goes
only goes down induces worse wash-in at the slowest of speeds and is
pretty nasty in the model. Instead of lifting the wing it drags it back
making the plane turn adversely to the intended input. I know that they
were trying to fly an exact replica so they went with everything as
true to history as possible, but it is frustrating watching it struggle.</span></font></font></font></span></div>
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">Any
thoughts,</span></font></font></font></span></div>
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<div><span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">Regards,</span></font></font></font></span></div>
<span class="092404614-18122003"><font face="Arial"><font
color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="092404614-18122003">
<div><br>
Eric.</div>
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</span></font></font></font></span></blockquote>
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