>>Actually they did invent one thing. The three axis control system. Unlike >>their popular success - powered flight, the 3 axis system was invented by >>them a year earlier. The modern 3 axis has one variation on their patent, it >>uses ailerons instead of warping the wings.
I think you are right there, but oddly they only invented conecting the rudder to the wing warping so that they could fly straight in the variable winds at Kittyhawk. Wing warping produced heaps of adverse yaw so they put on a rudder and connected it to the wing warping mechanism to allow them to fly in a straight line. Wing warping itself, ailerons, rudders etc. were either invented or patented by others so it's questionable to say whether this was prior art or not :-) I love Pearse supporters. The only small point where he appeared to fail in mastering sustained controllable powered flight was the control part. Did he ever not land in a tree or complete his flight in any other way than a crash? As glider pilots, we should avoid the lot and support Lillienthal because all the motorise aeroplanes would eventually run out of gas while, given the right conditions, Lillienthal could have soared for days. D _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
