Very interesting article below. I had heard of this man a number of years ago, it is interesting to consider the possibility that he beat the Wright brothers into the air? Russell

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/13/first-in-flight-wright-brothers-flew-2-years-after-gustav-whitehead/?test=latestnews

There are several examples of aviation pioneers who "beat" the Wright Brothers into the air. What counts is that the Wrights perfected controlled heavier than air powered flight. The Wrights were the first to equip their aircraft with full 3-axis controls, repeat their flights and develop their aircraft from what they began with. None of the other claimants managed to do all of that.

Whiteheads aircraft was tested as a towed full size replica in the 1990s in Stratford Connecticut USA. the aircrraft flew with a man (very brave) aboard, towed by a truck down the runway at Sikorsky Airport.

Bottom line it flew in a straight line and longitudinal and roll stability could be maintained. The test team (as far as I know did not risk trying to turn the craft. It is in the museum down here.

Did he fly? I believe yes. Could he turn? Maybe, but not by much, and that is where the Wrights got EVERYBODY beat. They figured it out. They were the first to fly.

In 1908 at Rheims in France the europeans were asstounded at the ease of control Wilber had, because he Could fly like a bird. There's flying like a chicken and there's flying like a hawk. The Wrights flew like Hawks.

Mr. Whitehead was the first successfull airplane engine manufacturer (which means he made money selling them). According to one story I heard (unsubstanciated) he designed his flyer so he could determine if the engine was light enough.

Most of this is on the web, 'early flight' 'gustev whitehead' etc.

enjoy
Captn Tommy

I tend to agree with both of you on this one. Controlled flight in all three axis' was the key. The Wright brothers demonstrated this. I think their claim as the first to demonstrate heavier than air controlled flight is probably safe. I just thought it was an interesting article, for those who were unfamiliar with it. Russell

". . .In addition to the Wright brothers, There are at least seven other pioneers with credible claims to the title of first to fly, some dating back nearly a decade before the success of the Wright Flyer in December 1903. Gustave Whitehead is just one of these innovators, though his claim is probably stronger than most. Let's take a brief look at each of these pioneers and their contributions to the development of flight. . .

Sir Hiram Maxim, July 1894
Clément Ader, October 1897
Augustus Moore Herring, October 1898
Gustave Whitehead, August 1901
Richard Pearse, March 1903
Preston Watson, summer 1903
Karl Jatho, August 1903

". . .The criteria most researchers have applied is a craft that could only sustain its flight thanks to the power of its engine and was fitted with a control system allowing the pilot to maintain his course. The flight must also be well-documented by first-hand witnesses, and perhaps most important of all, the flight must be repeatable. The accomplishments of the pioneers described above all fail on at least one of these criterion whereas the Wright Flyer does not. Most of these men even admitted themselves that they had not accomplished what the Wrights had done."

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0159.shtml