2 Killed in Ohio When Wright Replica Plane Crashes

While I salute what people like Russ are doing with regards to the Sopwith replicas, folks gotta remember why the technologies evolved in the first 15-20 years of manned flight.
Planes such as the Wright flyers belong in static displays. Otherwise, there's going to be more crashes with loss of life.

KevFla

 

Their lives, their choice.

 

Oh my...I am training for my PPL and I fly to Wright Brothers airport almost every flight. Just a week or so ago, after landing there, I was taxiing I saw them taxiing it around too! I waved to them! Thought it was the coolest thing! I cant believe it. Just horrible!

 

Very sad.

 

Progress demands a price just as everything else and the pages of history are filled with the names of those who pushed the present into the future. Otto Lillienthal was one of the first when he attempted to discover controlled flight . He was close. God Bless those who have the courage to explore. God watch over those who dare to revisit paths trod before.

 

My Grandfather's house was right next to Igor Sikorsky's house in Bridgeport way back so Igor's son Nikolai is pretty much my "Uncle" fantastic guy, totally into cars.

Anyways he told me that way back in the era of the Wright Bros & his Dad engineers doubled as test pilots and of course they had to teach themselves how to fly cus there were no flight schools.

He said "The people who survived their creations and taught themselves to fly would meet in Paris to discuss flight and learn from each other.

Those were dangerous aircraft and pilots were killed quite often

RIP to the 2

 

I salute the Test Pilots, one of which I worked with many years ago, for perserving history and climbing into a design that is hard to fly, at best. They were well trained and took every safety precausion they could and understood the risks of flying a old aircraft design that is not as forgiving as the later designs we commonly fly today. Its flying qualities probably had much to be desired so it was a hard aircraft to fly even in good weather conditions and with properly operating equipment. I am sure they did the best they could, with the situation, as it was presented to them.
Rest in Peace, Mitch!

 

Agreed. Maybe it would be time to remember that the Rolls of Rolls-Royce was the first man to die in an airplane accident in England - and it was in an early Wright biplane.

 

Actually first aviation death was an Army Lt. flying with Orville in 1908. I think his name was Selfridge

Rolls died in a Wright flyer but not until 1910. Maybe the first to die in England?

Orville was piloting when he crashed with the Lt. and was injured.

He and Wilbur were the original test pilots.

 

Lt. Thomas Selfridge, for whom Selfridge Field is named.

 

I think that Selfridge may have been the first to die in a powered airplane, but there had been deaths in balloons and gliders long before that. I believe Otto Lilienthal was one of them?

And perhaps the first "aviation" death was a young fellow named.....Icarus?