Rim Kaminskas is offers concepts on a wheel system that will let us taxi and maneuver the aircraft on the ground. | Project Chair Jack Cherne (right) conducts a meeting with Howard Marx and Bill Haynes. | Marilyn Harris makes a point to Dick Morgan and Rich Grim. |
The Wright Brothers developed the first sucessful rudder/aileron interconnect to counter adverse yaw. This control system was used on a few later aircraft, notably the Ercoupe designed by Fred Weick for ERCO, however the vast majority of pilots prefer to control the yaw axis themselves with rudder pedals. Here is a prototype design for rudder pedals for our flyable replica, mounted on our test fixture. |
Don Dotson has been one of the most active members of the project for the many years he as been associated with the project. |
The brain trust at work. The decision to not strictly "build to print" carries with it the responsibility of understanding both the engineering rationale for the Wright Brothers' design decisions, and the implications any proposed change may have. Nearly all of the modifications we are making to our flightworthy replica relate to pilot safety - specifically reducing the instability of the aircraft (it was unstable in two axes, and neutral in the third), and giving he pilot more power to deal with flights at higher density altitudes. |
Bud Chamberlain knows a thing or two about airplanes, having piloted a B-24 with the Mighty Eighth in World War II, the first cloud seeding flights, and weather reconnaissance over the North Pole in B-29s.
If you ever heard the B-24 was a handful to fly, talk to Bud - he loves
the airplane and will quickly disabuse you of that thought. |
Jeff
Harris is another extremely active member, discussing specifics of the
engine with Dick Morgan (at left) and of the final engine mounting
structure with John Lipscomb on the right. |
Copyright © 2003, AIAA Wright Flyer Project, all rights reserved.
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