Aviation History - General & Miscellaneous

Pioneers of Flight A Documentary History

Name: Pioneers of Flight A Documentary History
Author: Phil Scott
ISBN: 9780691011172

by Phil Scott

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Overview

The pioneers of flight left a legacy of inventions that changed the world. Unknown to most people, many also left compelling written accounts of their ideas, scientific discoveries, and attempts--both successful and disastrous--to take to the air. Phil Scott presents the first major anthology of these writings. His selections show how humans from Ovid to the Wright brothers and beyond dreamed about flying and puzzled over the principles of physics and aerodynamics that kept birds aloft and men grounded. Their eloquent and incisive writings form a record of scientific curiosity and individual tenacity that will fascinate aviation enthusiasts, historians of technology, and anyone interested in the drama of early flight.

Scott begins with Ovid's story of Icarus, who met his legendary fate by flying too close to the sun and melting the wax that held his wings together. He presents accounts of crude medieval experiments and the beginnings of a scientific approach to flight in Renaissance and early modern Italy. He includes a letter from the Marquis d'Arlandes about being aboard the Montgolfiers' famous balloon for the first ever manned flight. The book's main focus, however, is the development of airplanes in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Scott presents scientific notes, letters, patent applications, fund-raising proposals, newspaper reports, journal articles, and personal stories by or about such central figures as Sir George Cayley, John Stringfellow, Otto Lilienthal, Clement Ader, Octave Chanute, Louis Blériot, Glenn Curtiss, and, in particular, the Wright brothers. We read about the insights that led to propellers and to the shape of the modern wing, the frustrations and dangers of attempting flight, the Wrights' revolutionary technological innovations and their brilliant successes at Kitty Hawk, technical and commercial disputes, and the experiences of early women aviators and the adventurers who made the first long-distance flights.

Scott includes an extensive introduction that puts the selections in the context of aeronautical history. The Pioneers of Flight is a remarkable resource for anyone who wishes to understand how humans struggled and eventually learned to fly.

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Editorials

Scientific American

Scott is profoundly impressed by the impact of flight on human affairs. "It has changed our world in more ways than any invention before or since."

Library Journal

Every student of the early years of flight has favorite personalities and stories, and Scott's (The Shoulders of Giants, LJ 6/1/95) compendium of excerpts from articles, letters, and books written by pioneers of aviation or their contemporaries manages to present an enduringly human side to his subjects. From Ovid and the death of Icarus through Langley's careful explanation of his failures, the Wright brothers' methodical progress, Louis Bleriot's trusting his creation to carry him across the English Channel in July 1909 and on until powered flight was a daily occurrence, the impetuousness, courage, intelligence, wonder, and occasional venality of these singular people comes through. We have forgotten that once humanity looked at birds and envied them; these selected readings help us regain that feeling and time. For aviation histories, this is a refreshingly different approach.--Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, CA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

An anthology of writings ranging from Ovid and other early legends and concepts to the 1930s, including considerable correspondence by the Wright brothers. Documents both successes and failures of gliders, the first powered flights, the first controlled heavier-than-air-flight, the spread of flying, and some of the early great flights. The writings include letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and excerpts from books. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

From The Critics

In this volume, the development of powered flight is explored by quintessential excerpts of original writings from major international players in humanity's quest to travel by airship. The book is subdivided into six chronologically contiguous sections, each of which is focused on the attainment of particular benchmarks in early attempts at aviation. The first encompasses a rather lengthy period, beginning with the legend of Daedalus and Icarus, penned by the Roman poet Ovid, through a few flapping endeavors to mimic birdlike behavior that ended in disaster, to philosophical discussions on the nature of bird flight and lighter-than-air vehicles, and culminates in an account written by Marquis d'Arlandes, one of the original ascendants in the Montgolfier brothers' balloons. The second section explores the development of manned gliders in the early 1880s and the attachment of some remarkable lightweight steam engines to unmanned gliders in the mid 1880s. The third section spans 1883 to 1897, during which time successful gliders were constructed in Germany, uncontrolled manned powered flight was achieved in France, and the French engineer, Chanute, published writings on the design and principles of artificial flight. The trials and tribulations experienced by the Wright brothers from 1898 to 1905 are explored in the next section. The Wrights' relationship with Chanute and their attempts to finance their operations via War Department contracts are explored in various excerpts from correspondences. The fifth part explores the spread of powered flight in Europe and the United States through public exhibitions and introduces the long-running patent disputes that the Wright brothers becameengaged in as a result of the popularization of controlled powered flight. Section 6 recounts some of the remarkable distance and control benchmarks that were achieved by pioneer aviators during the period from 1908 to 1914. This section includes a most interesting account of the methods of flight training by Harriet Quimby, the first U.S. woman to earn her pilot's license, [Au: Have I got the preceding right? Or is the original correct, which would imply that other U.S. women might have earned their pilot's licenses before Quimby, but in other countries? and an essay on the sensations of flying, which includes a description of the skills required to mechanically manipulate the control surfaces of early planes. On the whole, the excerpts have been judiciously selected by the author and blend well together to provide the reader with insights into the mental and physical hardships and triumphs that a succession of individuals inspired by a common goal—to soar like the birds—experienced to achieve controlled powered flight. Because the book is essentially a historical account that provides information on the human and social issues surrounding the development of flight, there is relatively little that the reader can gain regarding the science and engineering principles underlying aircraft operation and design. This sparsity of scientific and technical information may relate to the relative secrecy under which most early aviation experiments were conducted or to a conscious decision on the part of the author to emphasize the human aspect in these collected writings. The book would make a valuable ancillary text to middle school or high school science classes that cover the physics of flight, as it provides valuable glimpses into significant aspects of many of the lives that were devoted to attaining one of humanity's greatest achievements in modern history. The volume has numerous references and a thorough index. It includes several black-and-white photographs and sketches of some of the more significant events in early aviation history. I recommended this book to individuals who are interested in gaining insights into the lives and relationships among pioneer aviation engineers. Recommended, Grades 7-College, Teaching Professional, General Audience. REVIEWER: Dr. Roger D. Meicenheimer (Miami University)