Book Review by Joseph Tannehill: The Wright Brothers

David McCullough has written a beautiful and factual account of the accomplishments of the two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, who are credited with the invention and operation of the first manned and controlled fixed-wing aircraft.

Excerpt from the book: “Far more than two Dayton bicycle mechanics who happened to hit on success, the Wright brothers were men of exceptional ability, unyielding determination, and far-ranging intellectual interest and curiosity, much of which they received in their upbringing. Thanks to books supplied by their preacher father, they never stopped learning. Their sister, Katherine, also played an important role in their endeavors.”

As an engineer, I was especially interested in how the Wright brothers learned and understood the concept of lift. Wilbur, the older of the two, was unquestionably a genius. He studied kites, the wind, and birds of all sizes as they flew. He wrote, “No bird soars in a calm,” which led him to understand lift and how it applied to their heavier-than-air flying machine. Orville had the mechanical ingenuity to solve the many questions and development problems that they had to face. Nothing stopped them in their mission: not failure, nor ridicule, or even the danger of death.

The book’s last chapter recounts the efforts the brothers gave to the United States Army in its involvement and support of the development of the airplane. The chain drive that broke, causing the crash and death of Lieutenant Selfridge, plus the terrible hurt and damage to Orville, was somewhat glossed over by the author. Also, very little is written about the dispute over Alexander Bell and Glenn Curtis copying the Wright design and the subsequent court battles that were won by the Wright brothers.

It remains amazing that from 1910 to World War I, thousands of planes were made around the world utilizing the Wright brothers’ design and efforts.

ABOUT JOSEPH TANNEHILL

Joseph Tannehill grew up in the Midwest but moved to Panama City in 1976. A mechanical engineer and a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, he is chairman of the board of Merrick Industries, a local company that manufactures dynamic weighing equipment and water treatment equipment. He has served as board chairman of the Panama City Port Authority and the Airport Authority and guided the development and construction of the new Bay County airport. The Father of four children, three of them local residents, he enjoys golf and old cars.