Fixing the Rudder

After thinking everything over, Orville came to the conclusion that the problem would be solved if he could fix the rudder to actually move and be controlled. "This would allow the pilot to adjust its angle during a turn to overcome the drag from the high wing, keep the inside wing from losing too much lift, and prevent the aircraft from skidding," (The Wright Story). Wilbur agreed with this idea, but decided that the pilot already had enough to do with the wing warping controls. "Instead, the brothers coupled the wires that turned the rudder to the wing warping mechanism," (The Wright Story). This perfected the control and made the 1902 glider the "first aircraft capable of being precisely balanced in flight...So basic was this breakthrough that every aircraft (and spacecraft!) flying today still uses the same fundamental...controls first developed by the Wright brothers," (The Wright Story).

All this led to Kitty Hawk becoming a very busy place. Several people became interested in the boys success and went out to view the spectacular event for themselves. Among these people were Octave Chanute, George Spratt, and Augustus Herring all of which were aeronautical engineers. Herring tried his attempt at gliding, but it was barely able to make it 50 feet off the ground. He ended up humiliated and jealous of the Wright's success.

The brother's best flight of the year was in October after the massive crowds left. Wilbur made a glide covering 622 feet and Orville’s best was 615 feet (The Wright Story).


The Wight Story. 24 April 2007. Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co. of Dayton, Ohio. <http://wright-brothers.org/History/Wright>