Monday, March 16, 2009

It Feels Like Flying



Yes, it's an airplane. But hey, that's Wilbur Wright at the controls, and he and his brother once owned a bike shop, which is now being considered as the home for the Bicycling Hall of Fame. Not to mention that the Wrights first flew in North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is where Blackbeard's Permanent ends up.

See how it all comes round?

Check this link for footage from 1909 of a camera mounted inside a Wright flyer. Look for the "SEE THE FILM" button as you scroll down the page.

Here's the background on what you're seeing:

This flight demonstration of American aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright was of a special historic nature: it involved images from the first camera aboard a plane! The two-seater plane with Wilbur Wright at the helm did a lap before an audience of photographers, army men and noteworthy moustached men and just avoided the cameraman on the ground. Then the plane started up again, followed a launching pad and took off: the camera was fixed for the first time on the ground that gave way…and the emotion was there, so great you could almost touch it! The image was as unstable as the cabin of the plane flying at low altitude, flying over the countryside and gradually approaching a town.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Fascinating! In truth, I didn't know such video existed. Thanks for sharing!