Wright Brothers

CA01 Wright Brothers and Pocket Calculator

Q1 • Was the solution to the problem of humanflight one of analysis or design? Give reasons for your answer.

In my opinion the solution was generated from both Analysis and Design and not exclusively one over the other. The Wright brother’s success in this venture was due to their method of evaluating data gathered by testing an aircraft in flight and THEN refining the design of it based on those results. Therefore the Design of the aircraft was being constantly reviewed, altered and improved by the Analysis of the results of its previous incarnation in test flight. This approach is still today an essential tool in aerospace research and development.

As well as collecting reference material from the Smithsonian and other sources, the Wright brothers also began to study their predecessors efforts and requested from the Smithsonian whatever publications they could provide that would benefit their attempts to achieve human flight. In his letter of request Wilbur Wright stated “I have some pet theories as to the proper construction of a flying machine. I wish to avail myself of all that is already known and then if possible add my mite to help on the future worker who will attain final success”. This is a clear acknowledgement of the Wrights determination that even if they should not be the ones to succeed in achieving the dream, that their efforts and findings would point the way for a future generation to achieve it. It also demonstrated that they’re approach was to analyse the methods and results that had already been produced in the short history of flight and use this analysis to modify their own theories and designs to further the development of the cause and edge it closer to realisation. This analysis of past attempts of their predecessors enabled the Wrights to be Original in their thinking and saved them from pursuing many unfruitful avenues of research.

Q2 In what ways did the Wright brothers utilize...