homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Battle of Britain + Battle of Britain II Here's what happened (Continued)

Folks,

Old Dux:

Sir George Cayley is one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics. Many consider him the first true scientific aerial investigator and the first person to understand the underlying principles and forces of flight. He built his first aerial device in 1796.

I think that it was in 1805 or thereabouts that Cayley discovered that dihedral (wings set lower at their center and higher at their outer ends) improved lateral stability.

He is seen as, perhaps, the single most important aerial researcher and theoretician of his time. His theories and activities inspired the next wave of aeronautic researchers, which included William S. Henson and John Stringfellow.

All are names to conjure with. Everyone knows that North Carolina was the location for the Wright's first flight. We North Carolinians cannot claim those Ohio boys as our own of course, but there were others whom we can take pride in.

Many historians forget the contributions of North Carolina aviation greats like George "stinky" Creech who was the first to jump (some say he was pushed)from the Tar River bridge with one of his mother's bath towels tied around his neck ala Superman's cape.

After the event excited eye witnesses stated that what Creech's first flight lacked in length and duration was more than made up for by the blood curdling scream and the spectacular splash.