Lighter Than Air

“The very notion of wing-warping [a process the Wright Brothers invented] was to increase the lift on one side of the glider while decreasing lift on the other side, thus inducing a banking roll toward the side with less lift” (131).

The Book

To Conquer the Air: The Wright Brothers and the Great Race for Flight is mainly a book about Wilbur and Orville Wright. However, author James Tobin does more than just introduce the reader to the Wright Brothers. He provides the details of how flight was achieved and the other men who were attempting their own versions of aerorplanes (the original word for airplanes) or gliders. Throughout the book, Tobin weaves together the stories of the Wright Brothers and their contemporaries. The reader sees the frustration and joy that comes with any invention; years were spent perfecting a small part or a theory.  

Many of the Wright Brothers own words are included in the text. In one passage, Wilbur explains the feeling of flying, “There is a sense of exhilaration in flying through the free air, an intensity of enjoyment, which possibly may be due to the satisfaction of an inborn longing transmitted to us from the days when our early ancestors gazed wonderingly at the free flight of birds and contrasted it with their own slow and toilsome progress through the unbroken wilderness” (238). The reader gens a sense of what it must have been like to soar in an open air glider.

There are parts of the book that are difficult to get through. Tobin includes many explanations of theories and the technical process of building gliders. Several chapters focus on other men who were attempting to invent a flying machine. It is interesting to read about the different ideas each man had. Ultimately, the Wright Brothers would create the device that would be the predecessor to modern airplanes.

The Place

Wilbur and Orville Wright were from Dayton, Ohio and owned a bicycle shop where they built gliders during the winter. Today, Dayton’s motto is the “Birthplace of Aviation.” Carillon Park provides visitors a history of Dayton that includes the original 1905 Wright Flyer III. Visitors are able to walk into buildings that were a part of Dayton’s history, learn about Dayton’s involvement with innovation and World War II, and see the changes in public transportation. Many of the exhibits are hands on, which is great for small children.

Dayton has many other aviation sites to explore. A part of this list is the National Air Force Museum. I grew up going to this museum and it has always been one of my favorites. The admission is free and the museum provides an up close view of airplanes from the Wright Brothers to the present day. The museum is in a giant hanger and some airplanes are open for visitors to climb in and imagine being a pilot.