Web Site Highlights Utah State's Wright Flyer

Jim Slade, former network science reporter and aviation enthusiast, maintains a web site highlighting all things aviation. Recently, he featured an article written by Utah State adjunct professor John Taylor about Utah State's Wright Flyer titled "The Wright Stuff."

Below is an excerpt taken from Taylor's article. The entire piece, which highlights the innovation and vision behind the Wright Flyer project, is available to read at "Jim Slade's Air Lines," http://www.jimsladesairlines.com/wrightstuff1.html.

Have you ever thought about going back in time to rewrite history? Perhaps to journey back and become a soldier in the Civil War, but take an M-16 along with you? Or do you picture yourself hanging around the Wright Brothers bicycle shop in Dayton while they were trying to figure out how to make an engine-driven machine light enough to fly through the air?

"Use composites!" you could shout, becoming an instant hero.

Most likely they would instantly throw you out of their shop. The closest anybody could come to a "composite" a hundred years ago was probably a wooden wagon wheel with a steel rim.