History. 115 years ago, the Wright brothers' first manned flight at Le Mans revolutionized aviation
On August 8, 1908, at Le Mans, in Sarthe, world aviation wrote a page in its nascent history. Two Americans, the Wright brothers, demonstrate by an inaugural flight, on the Hunaudières racecourse, that their plane is able to turn and land effortlessly, a technological feat for the time. This flight was to mark the passage of aviation into the modern era.
The Wright brothers, aviation pioneers
Orville and Wilbur Wright marked the history of aeronautics. These two American brothers are passionate about aviation. They were researchers, designers, engineers and pilots all at the same time. After 5 years of experimentation, they developed the Flyer, a motorized propeller plane in 1903.
Many adjustments later, success comes with the Flyer III, the modified aircraft flies better, everything is ready to go into the test phase.
A historic flight in the sky of Le Mans
On August 8, 1908, at Le Mans, the Wright brothers made aviation history. A counterweight to catapult and the Flyer III takes off. On board, Wilbur Wright completes two laps above the Hunaudières racecourse, in front of an audience of personalities. After numerous tests in complete discretion, this flight validates the technical superiority of the Wrights and in particular their mastery in the field of piloting and turning. It will be a revelation for the French who strongly doubted the reality of the Wright flights.
" They had already carried out flights in 1903 at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, then in 1905 at Dayton, but their flights had been carried out without an audience, without scientific approval", confides Stéphane Tison, historian . " From then on, they know they can fly, but no one really believes them ."
The historic flight of the Wright brothers in the sky of Le Mans •
British Pathé/France TélévisionsUndeniable technical mastery
" After this 45 minute flight, Wilbur will multiply them with passenger. He will break all the records for duration, distance, speed, height. And a historic flight on December 31, 1908 to close the year of two hours 20 minutes during which, he travels 166 km. ”
After this demonstration, the Wright brothers will convince with their technological know-how. A short-lived success in the face of competition from manufacturers at the time, the Flyer's piloting system would quickly become obsolete.
The Wright brothers, aviation enthusiasts •
British Pathé/France TélévisionsThe Flyer III replica, a story of enthusiasts
115 years later, what remains of the Wrights' legacy? In this hangar, a replica of the Flyer III gathers dust between two exhibitions. In 2002, a band of genius handymen wanted to recreate the mythical plane for the centenary of flight, it was the start of a human and technical adventure that paid tribute to the pioneers.
For André Marseul, co-builder of the Flyer replica "the great difficulty at the start was to put together a team with all the necessary skills. We had to find a carpenter, a machining mechanic, an engine mechanic, and then small hands, jack-of-all-trades. ”
All passionate about building the replica of the Flyer III •
France TélévisionsTechnical adjustments
For nearly five years and more than 4,500 hours of work, these enthusiasts brought the Flyer back to life. A technical and historical reconstruction which has undergone some concessions to modernity, security obliges.
" The Wrights had an engine that was too weak and they had to take off with a catapult and we can't send a plane up in the air without knowing how to pilot it with a catapult, so you have to take off with a landing gear. landing and therefore you need a more powerful engine ." tells us François Payeur, co-builder of the Flyer replica.
A "modernized" replica of the Flyer III •
France TélévisionsA driving challenge
To pilot this strange machine, the flying madman is called Jef Jacquelin, instructor pilot, hundreds of hours of flight to his credit, he will however have to master this machine from another time.
“ The first takeoff was an accident because it was a taxi test and the plane took off with a gust of wind. The goal of the game was to rest while remaining whole (…) We take that off, we get there easily, on the other hand, you have to be able to rest and be in good condition. ”
Jef, the flying madman of the Flyer III replica •
France TélévisionsAfter numerous tests, the Flyer replica succeeded in taking off a century right after its illustrious ancestor.
115 years later, DIYers are now looking for a case for their replica of the Flyer III, a tribute to the Wrights and to all the pioneers.
Source: websites