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Octave Chanute was one of the great pioneers of early flight. In 1896, Chanute, Augustus Herring, and fellow flying enthusiasts went to wind-swept Miller Beach on Lake Michigan (near Gary, Indiana) to test three new glider designs. Their successful biplane glider was originally built as a tri-plane, but early flights revealed the bottom wing often dug into the sand. With the bottom wing removed, it not only outperformed the other designs, but proved to be the most successful glider built up to that time, with hundreds of controlled flights of up to 359 feet (107 m) for as long as 14 seconds. Its rigid biplane design with vertical posts and diagonal bracing, known as a "Pratt Truss," became the basis for aircraft structure for years to come, including the Wright Brothers' gliders.
Chanute was born in France and immigrated to the United States at age six. One of America's leading civil engineers, he designed railroads and bridges before turning his attention to flight. In addition to his experiments with manned gliders, Chanute also collected and studied a wealth of information on flight, from the ancients to the latest aeronautical experimenters of the day. He shared his knowledge with other would-be fliers through articles and lectures and gave many experimenters financial and technical assistance. Unsurprisingly, he was an active mentor to the Wright Brothers.
This reproduction glider was built by Boeing engineer and hang glider pilot Paul Dees for the 100th anniversary of the 1896 flights. Although slightly larger than the 1896 version, it is still quite accurate to the original design.
Octave Chanute was one of the great pioneers of early flight. In 1896, Chanute, Augustus Herring, and fellow flying enthusiasts went to wind-swept Miller Beach on Lake Michigan (near Gary, Indiana) to test three new glider designs. Their successful biplane glider was originally built as a tri-plane, but early flights revealed the bottom wing often dug into the sand. With the bottom wing removed, it not only outperformed the other designs, but proved to be the most successful glider built up to that time, with hundreds of controlled flights of up to 359 feet (107 m) for as long as 14 seconds. Its rigid biplane design with vertical posts and diagonal bracing, known as a "Pratt Truss," became the basis for aircraft structure for years to come, including the Wright Brothers' gliders.
Chanute was born in France and immigrated to the United States at age six. One of America's leading civil engineers, he designed railroads and bridges before turning his attention to flight. In addition to his experiments with manned gliders, Chanute also collected and studied a wealth of information on flight, from the ancients to the latest aeronautical experimenters of the day. He shared his knowledge with other would-be fliers through articles and lectures and gave many experimenters financial and technical assistance. Unsurprisingly, he was an active mentor to the Wright Brothers.
This reproduction glider was built by Boeing engineer and hang glider pilot Paul Dees for the 100th anniversary of the 1896 flights. Although slightly larger than the 1896 version, it is still quite accurate to the original design.
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