Milton Wright, Father of the Wright Brothers, Didn't Say That!

Milton Wright, father of Wilbur and Orville Wright, was proud of his son's accomplishments. Writing to Wilbur on September of 1909, he told him he could hardly sleep in these exciting times, ".You know I have the greatest interest in the things you do..... Trust in God, and be true, and you will have the victory. I have tried it so much, and often. I sleep pretty well, considering my interest in your affairs. I trust you for the greatest precaution, and the greatest courage and achievements. I met a minister this evening who stays in the mountains of Carolina, who manifests great interest in you and Orville.....With some trouble to sleep these exciting times my health is much improved. The children are well & good. Yours, Adieu, Milton Wright."(1) 

 

"Bishop Milton Wright sitting in a hammock", image courtesy of Wright State University Special Collections and Archives, Wright Brothers Collection (MS-1), Wright Brother Photographs>1647.

 

Yet, there are those who put in print imagined quotes of Milton's that he never said, or even thought. One writer stated, "The Ohio bishop was a troubled man.....his sons, Wilbur and Orville, had become consumed by the quixotic possibilities of flight. He now regretted the small toy helicopter that lifted itself into the air that he had given his boys. When a famed German glider pioneer crashed in a flying accident in 1896, the bishop feared for his sons, now 29 and 26 years old respectively. He delivered a sermon in his Dayton church: "If God had meant man to fly, he would have given him wings." (2)

But the fact is, Milton Wright never said "If God had meant man to fly, he would have given him wings." He never said it. He never thought it. The writer continued,  

".....Quick to follow Wilbur's lead, Orville shrank from the limelight and speaking, saying once, 'The only creature that can fly and speak is a parrot.' Wilbur, on the other hand, was articulate both on paper and in speech....." 

Here, the writer misquoted again, as Orville never said "The only creature that can fly and speak is a parrot". It was actually Wilbur, when asked to speak at the Aero Club de la Sarthe in September of 1908, who said, "I know of only one bird- the parrot- that talks; and it can't fly very high." At that time, Wilbur simply chose to make a joke, and pass on talking about his latest flights.

Shared on Facebook, a user wrote, "In the early 1870's a bishop who had charge of a small denominational college made his yearly visit and stayed, of course, with the president of the school. The bishop, in conversation one evening boasted a firm belief to the president that everything that could be invented had been invented. The college president thought differently. 'In fifty years,' ventured the president, men will learn to fly like birds. The bishop was shocked. 'Flight,' he said, "is reserved for angels and you have been guilty of blasphemy.' The name of the bishop was Milton Wright....the father of Orville and Wilbur Wright!" (3)

But the fact is, Milton Wright never said "Flight is reserved for angels...". The entire event is fiction. The imagined account takes on various forms; sometimes Milton provides the opinion that flight will occur within 50 years, and is accused of blasphemy by others, and other times, as above, Milton is the one accusing another of blasphemy. It is all nonsense, and none of it occurred.

 

Copyright 2026-Getting the Story Wright  

 

 Notes-

1. Library of Congress, Family Papers: Correspondence-Wright, Milton, April-November. Milton Wright to Wilbur Wright, September 2, 1909 letter.

2. "Bishop's sons helped give mankind wings", by James Humes, December 10, 2011, The Pueblo Chieftain.

3. "Bishop Milton Wright's disbelief in human flight", Terry Young, December 15, 2019, Facebook post. Sorry Terry, I'm sure you simply repeated this fable from some other internet post without any ill intent.

The Proud State of Connecticut, First in Historical Revisionism!

 

 

The State of Connecticut, not to be outdone, has redesigned their license plate, commemorating their aviation and aerospace industry. 

Connecticut's New License Plate.

  

The Wright Brothers were first in manned powered flight. Ohio (specifically Dayton Ohio) makes claim as the Birthplace of Aviation. North Carolina makes claim as the First in Flight. The Wright's aeroplane was designed in Dayton, tested in North Carolina, and eventually mechanically flown there in December of 1903. It was then perfected in Dayton in 1904 and 1905. These historical facts are based on one of the most thoroughly documented inventive processes in the history of the world. Records of engineering calculations, personal diaries, letters of correspondence, fantastic exhaustive photographic records, artifacts, and eye witness accounts of many outstanding reliable citizens attest to the truth and accuracy of the timing and character of the events.  Photographic evidence of the flight, "the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started" shows Orville flying with Wilbur running along side. The flight was repeated, four flights total, in front of reliable witnesses, and a telegraph indicating success was sent home that afternoon. Newspapers carried the story the next day, December 18, 1903. 

In spite of the above historical truth, and in spite of knowing the claims of Ohio as birthplace of aviation, and North Carolina as first in flight, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed into law a measure stating that Gustave Whitehead (a former Connecticut resident) flew in 1901, two years before Wilbur and Orville Wright. "The Governor shall proclaim a date certain in each year as Powered Flight Day to honor the first powered flight by Gustave Whitehead and to commemorate the Connecticut aviation and aerospace industry", House Bill No. 6671, passed into law as Public Act no. 13-210, June 25, 2013. Evidence provided by Governor Malloy to show the Wright Brothers do not deserve the title of First in Flight is presented in the following post:

 

Connecticut, You Have Gustave Be Kidding Me!

 

 

More amazing evidence has been unearthed by the Connecticut State Legislature, as provided in this newly surfaced sketch of the Wright Brothers. Using X-ray analysis of the underlying layers of graphite used to draw Wilbur's odd face with big ears, Wilbur's true identity was revealed.........

 

When interviewed by the Connecticut State Legislature, Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Picard in the Star Trek Next Generation series had little to say about the recent discovery, but would not deny that the Ferengi species may not be entirely fictional. Actually, he just looked at the interviewer oddly. When asked if he believed Wilbur Wright had ancestral roots originating back to that alien planet, therefore disqualifying him and his brother Orville to claims of First in Flight, since they obviously cheated using Ferengi wing warping technology,  Patrick again, didn't answer the question.........

More research is required. 

 

 

 

Copyright 2025-Getting the Story Wright

 

 

Orville, writing to Fred L. Black of The Edison Institute, Dearborn, Michigan, in a letter dated October 19, 1937- 

"Dear Mr. Black:

I have not seen the book "Lost Flights of Gustave Whitehead", but I did see the story on the same subject printed in "Popular Aviation" of January, 1935, and signed by Stella Randolf and Harvey Phillips.  

I have learned through a friend in Washington that Miss Randolph works in a doctor's office in Washington; that she has no particular interest in aviation; that the Harvey Phillips whom she had not know before, induced her to collaborate with him in the preparation of the story.

I suspect that, could it be traced, the idea for the book would be found to have originated in the mind of  A. F. Zahm, of whom you already know. He has been quite active in this matter, as I have learned from several sources. 

The book is interesting in showing how easy it is, after an interval of 35 years, to get affidavits on matters which are utterly false. Neither Wilbur nor I ever were in Bridgeport until 1909, and then only in passing through on the train. 

I believe I told you of the statements of eye-witnesses secured by A. V. Roe to establish his claim to having been the first Englishman to fly. Unfortunately for Roe I had in my possession letters written by himself at the time that proved the statements of his witnesses false. Moore-Brabazom told me that he would have been helpless in refuting these statements, produced twenty-five years after the event, excepting for the evidence which I was able to furnish. 

In the case of Whitehead the design of the machine is in itself enough to refute the statements that the machine flew. 

Have you seen the article in the N.A.A. Magazine of December, 1936, by Professor John B. Crane, who made some investigation of the Randolph story and interviewed some of the alleged eye-witnesses?

I am hoping to get my work here cleared up enough before long so that I can make the postponed visit to Greenfield Village. 

Thanking you for the photostats of the affidavits in Stella Randolph's book, I am

Sincerely yours, 

Orville Wright 

 

The Wright Brother 1903 Western Union and Postal Telegraph Telegrams

Updated December 21, 2025 

There is a vast number of non-genuine Wilbur and Orville Wright signatures available for sale, as is true for all historical figures. Forging a signature onto an old envelope cover, postcard, or photograph of the time period is a common practice, and there are hundreds of examples of these sold on the market. Occasionally, a false document is created with the forged Wright's signatures, which goes a step beyond of just relieving an unsuspecting collector of his savings. It potentially can alter history if left unchallenged. This post presents the genuine telegrams sent by the Wrights in December of 1903, and then follows with historically inaccurate modern alterations.

The Wright Brother December 1903 Telegrams:

 

On December 14th, 1903, Wilbur attempted a test run with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk resulting in confirmation that the machine design and construction was sufficient for an eventual successful flight. The first four successful flights occurred three days later on December 17th. Orville composed a message on the 14th to send to their father Milton Wright.

 

Initial note written by Orville, eventually delivered by Wilbur through the Kitty Hawk Weather Station to Norfolk where it was relayed to a local telegraph office for transmission to Dayton Ohio. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Wilbur took the message to the Kitty Hawk Weather Station to connect with Norfolk, where the message was relayed to the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company on the 15th, where it was then transmitted by Morse code to be eventually received in Dayton. (6) The message received in Dayton was then typed on to a Telegram form, with the original telegram now held in the Library of Congress Wright Brother archives. This December 15th telegram is pictured below:

December 15, 1903 telegram sent by Wilbur to Milton Wright. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. Wilbur's name was misspelled in the transmission. Hawthorn street historically, has been spelled with and without the e, having two variations. Note that the form indicates received location as Dayton, Ohio, as it should.

Milton recorded the following in his diary for that day-

Tuesday December 15 Katharine sick; misses School the first time in about four years. Dr Spitler came. About 4:00 came the telegram "Misjudgment at start reduced flight (to) one hundred (and) twelve (feet)- power and control ample- rudder only injured- success assured keep quiet." Wilbur Wright.  It was from Kittyhawk,  North Carolina, and related to Wilbur & Orville's Flyer. (1)

Two days after receiving this telegram, Milton Wright's sons would successfully complete four flights. A telegram was sent that day to Milton announcing the accomplishment, and also resides today in the Library of Congress Archives. Again, using the Kitty Hawk Weather Station's government wire, Norfolk was contacted with this time the message sent to The Western Union company where the telegrapher when transmitting the message by morse  code misspelled Orville's name as "Orevelle", and mistakenly transmitted the length of time of the last flight as "57" in lieu of 59 seconds.

Milton recorded in his diary-

Thursday, December 17 In the afternoon about 5:30 we received the following telegram from Orvill [e], dated Kitty Hawk, N.C., Dec. 17, "Bishop M. Wright: "Success four flights Thursday morning all against twenty-one mile wind started from level with engine power alone average speed through the air thirty one miles- longest 57 seconds. XXX home Christmas. Orville Wright." (1)

 

December 17, 1903 telegram sent by Orville Wright to his father Milton Wright, "Success four flights thursday morning all against twenty one mile wind started from level with engine power alone average speed through air thirty one miles longest 57 seconds inform Press home Christmas. Orevelle (Orville) Wright. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress. Telegram was received at Dayton, Ohio, but was not stamped as such. This is not unusual.

 
 

Robert Clowry is listed as President on the Western Union 1903 telegrams sent by the Wright Brothers, these forms were utilized from 1902 through 1910. Image courtesy of National Museum of American History, The Smithsonian.

 

The story appeared in the Dayton Daily News evening edition of December 18th, and read in part as follows: Kitty Hawk, N.C., Dec 17. "'We have made four successful flights this morning, all against a 21-mile wind. We started from the level, with engine power alone. Our average speed through the air was 31 miles. Our longest time in the air was 57 seconds.' Orville Wright. 

The above telegram was received by Bishop Wright of this city last evening from his sons Wilbur and Orville Wright, who have been for several months at Kitty Hawk on the coast of North Carolina experimenting with a flying machine, announcing the complete success of their invention which they call the 'Wright Flyer'. 

Thursday morning they made four successful flights against a wind of 21 miles an hour, starting from a level and going at the rate of 10 miles per hour, which would be equal to a rate of 31 miles per hour in a calm. No power was used in starting the flight except two aerial propellers driven by a powerful but light gasoline engine. The landings were all made easily and without injury to either the machine or operator. The Wright brothers have been carrying on experiments for the past six or seven years, and have built three previous machines for gliding by means of which they attained proficiency in the control of their apparatus. This year is the first time they have attempted to drive their machine by power. (Then details of the Wright Flyer are given, and then....)

The dispatch from Norfolk, Va., published in the morning dailies contains much that is inaccurate and was based on imperfect or unauthentic information. The credit for the success of the 'Wright Flyer' is totally due to both Wilbur and Orville as the invention has been the result of their joint labors." (2)

 

 

Dayton Daily News Dec 18th, 1903 page from Dayton Metro Library archives. Associated original print plate is from author's collection.

Wilbur and Orville sent a letter dated 1903 December 28 to Carl Dienstbach of the Illustrirte Aeronautische Mitteilungen, clarifying the details of the day, including the 59 second final flight, "We have given out no description or photographs of our 'flyer' and the account given in the dispatch from Dayton, that you read, probably came nearer to the truth than the other accounts. On the morning of the 17th inst. we made four flights, my brother and myself each making two. The wind at the time of the trials was blowing a little over twenty miles an hour.....The government anemometer at Kitty Hawk recorded from 24 to 27 miles an hour at the time of our trials. We started all four flights from the level, and not from the side of a hill as we had formerly done with our gliding machines. The machine was given no assistance in starting, and depended entirely upon the power of the engine and the thrust of the propellers to give its initial speed. After a run of 35 to 40 feet on the monorail, which held it only eight inches from the ground, the flyer rose gradually from the track and by the time it had gone 50 to 75 feet it would reach a height of about 10 feet from the ground....Our measured speed....was ten miles per hour, which, added to the speed of the wind, gave us a speed through the air of 31 to 35 miles per hour. We used a four cylinder engine...of the four cycle type of our own design and construction. The engine speed while in flight was about 1035 turns to the minute on account of the gears used, and was not the maximum power of the engine. We had no propellers either above or below the machine to give it lifting power, but depended entirely upon two aerocurves, superposed, for that purpose. We used two air propellers, placed at the rear....to propel the machine forward. The weight of the machine and operator was 745 pounds. The area of the main lifting surfaces was 510 square feet. Our methods of control are entirely different from those used by Lilienthal, Pilcher, or Chanute, and were found to be highly effective....Our longest flight was 59 seconds from the time of lifting from the rail to that of landing...."

 

 

Orville sent another telegram, this one to Katharine's attention, dated December 23. The Virginian-Pilot, December 23 paper had reported "In order to escape the ubiquitous news hunter, the Wrights sent two of their associates on ahead, they having decided to follow with their machine today. The two decoys went  to Elizabeth City, N.C., and from there to Norfolk by way of the Norfolk and Southern railway, going on through this city by way of Richmond to Ohio. The advance guard was besieged by newspaper men, but were as silent as the sphynx [sic]. Doubtless many alleged interviews were obtained from the decoys in question. The schooner Nancy Hall, with the flying machine on board, left Roanoke Island at 10:30 o'clock yesterday morning, bound for Elizabeth City. The machine had been taken apart and packed in big wooden boxes in sections. Both the Wright brothers are aboard the vessel closely guarding their invention...." (3)

 

 

Milton recorded in his diary-

Wednesday, December 23 I was at home. Wrote some. Bert Strang called in the interest of the Commercial Gazette. Katharine got a telegram from Orville, saying He and Wilbur would be at home to night. They came at 8:00. They had some interviewers on the way, but suppressed them." (1)

 

 

December 23, 1903 telegram sent by Orville to Katharine Wright. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. Telegram was received at Dayton, Ohio, and received a stamp indicating this.

 

 

Attempts to Alter History-

The genuine Wright Brother December 1903 telegrams survive, and their content is known. Oddly, an alternative Western Union Telegram was sold recently, differing from the original in the Smithsonian Archives, dated Dec. 17, 1903, addressed to Bishop M. Wright, with a message, "Success on our flights, even though winds picked up. With the engine power, steady average speed through air were thirty one miles longest 57 seconds." The names Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright are written under the message. The message is entirely handwritten in what appears to be a poor attempt of mimicking Wilbur's handwriting, with the 57 second error included.

Offered at auction July 7, 2022, this item sold for $1500. The Auction house listed an estimated value of $25,000-$40,000, and included a letter of authentication. 

 

Western Union telegram dated Dec. 17, 1903 made to appear as a genuine document. Note that the "Received At" location is indicated as Norfolk, Va. The Wrights were not at Norfolk on December 17; they were still at camp near Kitty Hawk.

This telegram dated Dec. 17, 1903 is written on a Western Union form that was not in use until after April of 1914, two years after the death of Wilbur Wright. Newcomb Carlton is listed as President on this form under the word "Telegram".

 

Image courtesy of National Museum of American History, The Smithsonian.

Historical Facts-

• Newcomb Carlton was elected vice president of the Western Union Telegraph Company November 23, 1910. (4)
• Newcomb Carlton was then elected president of the Western Union Telegraph Company April of 1914. (5)
• This Western Union Telegram form dates to after April 1914. 
• Wilbur Wright died May 30, 1912, two years before this W.U. Telegram form existed. Wilbur Wright could not have written or signed this document. 
• Messages were sent through the Kitty Hawk Weather Station and relayed to Norfolk. At Norfolk, the message would have then been sent by morse code to Dayton. A handwritten message by the Wright's would not have been received at Norfolk.

Another Western Union Telegram form was sold recently, differing from the original in the Smithsonian archives, dated Dec. 15, 1903, addressed to Bishop M. Wright, with the message, "We had some issues at the beginning of flight, power was a little off at start, but gained control and was a success." Orville Wright & Wilbur Wright.  The names Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright are handwritten under the message.

 

The message was typed onto a blank Western Union Telegram of a style that was not used until after April 1914. The text line under the word "Telegram" has been removed such that the names of the vice presidents, and president Newcomb Carlton do not appear. Note, this item is identified as Form 1, which included those names, and once removed, have left a band of discoloration in their place.

Offered at auction January 19, 2022, this item sold for $4500. The auction house listed an estimated value of $8,900-$9,900, and included a letter of authentication.

Western Union telegram dated Dec. 15, 1903 made to appear as a genuine 1903 document. Note that the telegram "Received At" location is indicated as Norfolk, Va. This, in lieu of being received at Dayton, Ohio.

  

Remnants of "Newcomb Carlton, President" remain on the Telegram, an incomplete attempt of erasure to hide the true later date of the document. A telegram form in this style without the names was never produced by Western Union. 

 

 

Attempts had been made to sell the above telegram in 2019 prior to the erasure of the Newcomb Carlton name.  When after several attempts to sell and no takers, the telegram was at that time altered to remove the name of the 1914 President of Western Union, after which it sold in 2022 as mentioned above.

 

1914 Western Union Telegram form made to appear as a 1903 document, prior to erasure of Newcomb Carlton's name.

 

The WU telegram form similar to the one used in Dayton for receiving the Wright's December 17th, and 23rd messages identifying Robert Clowry as President continued to be printed through 1910.

Western Union form, Robert C. Clowry, President, as used 1902 through 1910. Examples of 1908 and 1909 dated telegrams.

 

In November of 1910, Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone and Telegraph Company, gained control of Western Union and became president of Western Union.  Forms with the new WU logo depicting the Western Union name spanning the globe appeared with Vail's name listed below.

Western Union Telegram form in use 1910 through 1914, introducing the new WU logo.

In 1914, to avoid anti-trust action, Western Union and American Telephone & Telegraph separated, and Newcomb Carlton became Western Union's president. The telegram forms printed were similar, but with Newcomb's name replacing Theo Vail's name. The Newcomb 1914 form was modified in 1915 to include Class of Service tables at upper right and left of the document. Forms similar to this design were continued to be used into the 1920's.

Western Union Newcomb Carlton 1914 telegram form on the left, and 1915 form on the right.

The history of the Wright Brothers is not the only area under attack in the fabricated telegram market. Offered at auction in 2015, a Western Union telegram was described as "Unrecorded, Newly Discovered Titanic S.O.S. Telegram". Within the description, the auction house wrote, "Since the Marconi office in Cape Race had no facilities to deliver the telegram, it was transmitted to the Western Union office in New York and delivered by messenger to Mr. Franklin at 9 Broadway. This may be the telegram that was delivered, or it may be a retained copy, as we have evidence that these telegrams were sent "2-up". While it seems certain that the telegram was delivered (or the attempt made), we cannot say for sure whether Franklin saw it in a timely manner, or testified falsely before Congress. There is no contemporary provenance that accompanies the telegram. It was given to the consignor by a cousin around 1998.......We have examined the telegram extensively and conclude that all characteristics are "right", including type of paper, method of printing, aging of the paper and look of the typed message (variation in the lightness & darkness of the inked impression, visible signs of the weave of the ribbon). In summary, we are totally satisfied that the telegram is authentic and a new discovery." Really?

"Newly Discovered Titanic S.O.S. Telegram", printed on a Western Union form that did not exist in 1912. Newcomb Carlton is listed as President, who did not obtain this office till April 15, 1914. The Titanic sunk April 14, 1912.

This fabricated Titanic telegram offered at auction for $25,000 in 2015 did not sell. Clearly a form that dated to 1915 or later, the reputable auction house that offered it missed the forest for the trees. Even Smithsonian Magazine published a November 9, 2015 article "The Mystery of a Titanic Telegram, Did the Titanic's owners know about its collision with an iceberg?" The article stated, "In the months and years after the R.M.S. Titanic sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic, Philip Franklin, the man in charge of the company that owned the ship, repeatedly denied that he knew about the disaster when it happened. Now, a telegraph allegedly sent from the ship as it sank suggests he may have actually known, Tao Tao Holmes reports for Atlas Obscura.....This is obviously proof, or evidence, that the Titanic did send a message to the White Star Line in New York...." 

Not obvious proof at all, but in fact a modern fabrication typed on an old blank Western Union form. Copies of this telegram are currently being sold on E-bay, with no indication in the item description that the original was a fabrication. Collectors of Titanic memorabilia are purchasing these copies oblivious to the false history this telegram presents.   

Earlier telegrams dating to the 1890's unrelated to the Wright Brothers have been altered to appear as if they were sent by the brothers, with one or both of their "signatures" added. Collectors are advised to know their history prior to making a purchase for an item which appears to alter that history. The burden of proof should be on the item, not the established history.

Copyright 2025-Getting the Story Wright
 

Notes:

1. Bishop Milton Wright Diaries, 1857-1917, Wright State University Core Scholar Wright Brothers Collection (MS-1).
2. Dayton Daily News, December 18 Evening Edition, 1903, "Dayton Boys Emulate Great Santos-Dumont."
3. Virginian-Pilot Wednesday December 23, 1903 issue, "Wrights Give Talks On Airship". The article as a whole is obviously a fabrication.
4. Buffalo Courier Thursday November 24, 1910, "Newcomb Carlton Vice President Western Union". 
5. The Buffalo News, Friday, April 10, 1914, "New President of W. U. In Buffalo Many Years".
6. The National Air and Space Museum, C.D.B. Bryan, 1979, 5th printing 1984, "Milestones of Flight", "...they walked the four or so miles to the Kitty Hawk Weather Station, where they could send a telegram to their father. Since so few persons had occasion to send telegrams in this near-desolate section of North Carolina, people were permitted to use the weather station's government wire to connect with Norfolk, where the message would be relayed to one of the telegraph companies."

Brazil, You Dumont Know What You're Talking About!

During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games last night (August 5th, 2016), the hosting nation of Brazil repeated the same tired claim that Santos-Dumont was the first to fly.  

Brandan Maloy of Sports Illustrated wrote yesterday (August 5, 2016)- 

"According to Brazil, Alberto Santos-Dumont’s flight outside of Paris in 1906 was the first human to truly fly, although the Wright brothers had completed several flights in secret three years before, which Santos-Dumont’s countrymen claim did not count for a variety of reasons."

Just a comment or two.....The Wright Brothers completed four flights three years before, at Kitty Hawk, not in secret, but before witnesses. They then made 160 flights in 1904 and 1905 at Huffman Prairie, near Dayton Ohio! As reported by the Wright Brothers to Augustus Post, Secretary of the Aero Club of America, March 2, 1906, "Flights to the number of more than one hundred had also been made at Dayton, Ohio, in 1904 with a second motor flyer. Of these flights a complete circle made for the first time on the 20th of September, and two flights of three miles each made on the 9th of November and the 1st of December, respectively, were the more notable performances.....In the past three years a total of one hundred and sixty flights have been made with our motor-driven flyers, and a total distance of almost exactly one hundred and sixty miles covered..."  By September/October of 1905, they made flights of 11.125 miles, 12 miles, 15.25 miles, 20.75 miles, and 24.2 miles! For the benefit of those in Brazil, in lieu of miles, the equivalent distance in meters is listed below, from the Aero Club of America March 12, 1906 bulletin:

 

Santos Dumont made his less than 50' hop in the 14-Bis on September 13, 1906.  Then on October 27, he flew 197 feet. On November 12,  he flew 722 feet (220 meters). And that was his best flight in this machine. Last time I checked, 1903, 1904, and 1905 were years that occurred before the year of 1906. And I'm fairly certain that 220 meters is a shorter distance than the 38,956 meters flown by Wilbur Wright during one flight on October 5, 1905 in front of many witnesses.

The following information is repeated, compiled from two previous posts for those readers interested in true facts of history. For those who believe 1906 occurred in time prior to 1903, 1904, and 1905, I guess you can stop reading.

The Wright Brothers were first in manned powered flight. Ohio (specifically Dayton Ohio) makes claim as the Birthplace of Aviation. North Carolina makes claim as the First in Flight. The Wright's aeroplane was designed in Dayton, tested in North Carolina, and eventually mechanically flown there in December of 1903. It was then perfected in Dayton in 1904 and 1905. These historical facts are based on one of the most thoroughly documented inventive processes in the history of the world. Records of engineering calculations, personal diaries, letters of correspondence, fantastic exhaustive photographic records, artifacts, and eye witness accounts of many outstanding reliable citizens attest to the truth and accuracy of the timing and character of the events.  The flight was, "the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started". The flight was repeated, four flights total, in front of reliable witnesses, and a telegraph indicating success was sent home that afternoon. Newspapers carried the story the next day, December 18, 1903. Witnesses to the first flight included J. T. Daniels, W. S. Dough, A.D. Etheridge, W.C. Brinkley,  Johnny Moore, and Wilbur Wright, of course. J. T. Daniels snapped the shutter of the "5 x7" Korona-V Gundlach dry glass plate camera, taking one of the most famous photographs in history. This camera is on display at the Carillon Historical Park in Dayton.

These flights were the result of exhaustively documented systematic experimentation of 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1903 as performed by the Wright Brothers. The flights were modest and reasonable for a new technology, one to be improved upon in 1904 and 1905, with the end result being the world's first practical flying machine, now on display at Carillon Historical Park, Dayton, Ohio. The 1903 flyer is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

In November of 1905, The Aero Club of America requested documentation of eyewitness accounts to the Wright flights of 1905 at Huffman Prairie. Some are offered as follows from "Navigating the Air", Aero Club of America, 1907- 

"My dear sir: In response to your request of November 21, I take pleasure in telling of my observance of the Wright Brother's aeroplane. Early in October, 1905, it was my privilege to witness a very successful flight made by Mr. Wilbur Wright in the aeroplane of their own invention. When I arrived at the appointed place, the air-ship had already ascended and was flying at what seemed to me to be a distance of fifty feet from the ground, and in a rectangular course....A distance of twenty-four miles was covered on this occasion, in about thirty-eight minutes. The turns at the various corners of the field in which the flight was made, were made easily and gracefully, and it seemed to be as easy for Mr. Wright to operate it as for any one else to ride a bicycle....I believe that the aeroplane of the Wright Brothers has successfully solved the problem of aerial navigation.

Very truly yours, E.W. Ellis, Assistant City Auditor" Dayton Ohio, December 5, 1906

"Gentlemen: In reply to your inquiry of recent date, I would state that I witnessed a flight of the Wright Brothers aeroplane and there exists in my mind no doubt that, to the Wright Brothers is due the credit of the solution of aerial navigation without the aid of balloons or like contrivance. The day I witnessed their flight the aeroplane remained in the air at a height of between 50 to 100 feet for a period of about 23 minutes, and in that time covered a distance of about 15 miles, according to the meter attached to the aeroplane. The machine appeared at all times to be under perfect control, the operator elevating and lowering it at will. In his flight he described a circle of about a mile in circumference. Unfortunately, however, he was obliged to descend on account of a hot bearing...

Yours very truly, Howard M. Meyers, Dayton Ohio, November 25, 1906.

"Dear Sir: The brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, have lived from childhood within a few squares of my home and have always had the fullest confidence of all their neighbors and acquaintance; but I must confess that when I read that they had solved the problem of human flight down on the coast of North Carolina I did not believe it. I thought that what they had accomplished was not real flight at all, but due to some peculiar condition of the atmosphere in that locality. I believed mechanical flight was impossible as perpetual motion. It was not until I saw one of their flights, near Dayton, with my own eyes that every doubt was removed....I simply cannot describe my feelings during the first few minutes. When it was well above the tree-tops it continued on a level course in easy circles about the field, for more than half an hour, as timed by several spectators present. The operator brought it to the ground, without any damage whatever, directly in front of the building in which it was housed. I had seen the eighth wonder of the world!
Respectfully yours, Henry Webbert, Dayton, Ohio November 24, 1906

"Dear sir: I take great pleasure in answering your letter of November 21, 1906. Along with some friends, I had the privilege of witnessing a flight of the Wright Brothers, in the autumn of 1905, a few miles east of Dayton. The machine started from a short track lying on the ground, and rose into the air on an inclined path till it was well above the height of the tallest trees. It then kept on a horizontal path flying round and round the meadow in circles about a quarter of a mile in diameter. The flight lasted more than a half hour. At last Mr. Orville Wright shut of the power and landed as gracefully as a bird just in front of the building in which the machine was kept. I can only say that it was the most wonderful sight of my life....
Yours respectively, Chas. Webbert 

Additional eye witness accounts to the 1905 flights were documented in American Magazine of Aeronautics, Jan 1908, The Wright Brothers Flying Machine, by Captain Hildebrandt- 

"...I went to Dayton, and here visited the father of the brothers, the old American Bishop, Milton Wright. The old man of about seventy years of age verified in simple language that he had witnessed the longest flight. He happened there by chance. Troubled constantly in regard to the fate of his sons who had subjected themselves to such daring flight experiments, he had frequently gone to the trial grounds and thus had been witness of numerous ascensions. He would not go into full particulars in the matter. If I had any doubts whatever after my conversation with the two competitors of the Wrights, they would have been dispelled after my visit with the Father. I believe that there can be few suspicious people who would doubt the words of this old, honorable priest...."

Portion of letter written by Milton Wright, father of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Letter is dated June 22, 1909.

"We interviewed Mr. C.S. Billman thereafter, secretary of a bank. He exclaimed excitedly: Well, she flies! Then he pictured how imposing it looked when the flying machine rose from the ground and flew over the fields about the height of a tree in a slightly undulated manner; how readily she answered her rudder and returned to earth...."

"....a young druggist, Reuben Schindler, who had witnessed the long flight without being invited. On one day when he had expected a flight would be made, he had followed the father Wright at a distance and had thus witnessed an excellent flight. A laborer happened to come into the drug store, who had also been an uninvited onlooker to a flight, who confirmed in an exhaustive manner the statements made by Mr. Schindler."

"A good many details on the construction of the flyer were given to us by a German hardware dealer, Frank Hamburger, who had been a keen observer and endeavored to make his statements more clear to us by aid of some sketches. The druggist William Foots (Fouts), also showed a good understanding for the technical matters and gave us a few valuable points...
e. "Finally, we succeeded in talking with two more very important people, C.V. Ellis, officer of the law, and Torence Hoffman (Torrence Huffman), president of the largest bank in the city."

In "To Conquer the Air", James Tobin, 2003, provides additional names of eye witnesses to the 1905 flights, pg 235, "With the first hint of autumn in the air, the brothers began to invite guests to Huffman Prairie. Lorin and his wife, Netta, had seen a flight or two. Now they came back with their children. Kate came on October 4, though it was a school day, and saw Orville fly more than twenty miles. Torrence Huffman came again, as did a number of friends and neighbors. Among them were the brother's landlord on West Third, Charles Webbert, and his brother Henry, who was Charles Taylor's father-in-law. Bill Weber, a plumber, came; and Ed Ellis, an old friend from the Ten Dayton Boys club who was now assistant auditor of the city of Dayton; Bill Fouts, a druggest and friend of Orville's, and Fout's friend Theodore Waddell, an employee of the U.S. Census Bureau"...pg 237, "Waddell was especially struck by the extraordinary means of moving the flyer around on the ground....He asked one of the brothers if he could give a hand in hauling the machine back to the shed. He could if he wanted, he was told, but he didn't need to help. As Waddel watched, "They.....starting the engine at slow speed, let the machine lift itself clear of the ground and walked it back to the (shed). It was about the most uncanny sensation I ever experienced...

Related blogs and news: 
Wright-Brothers.org - The Case for Alberto Santos Dumont 

The Outer Banks Voice- "Oh no you didn't Brazil! We're First in Flight"


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American Genius- Wright Brothers vs. Curtiss, The True Story

The National Geographic Channel presented their account of history concerning the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss on June 1, 2015. The disclaimer was provided "This program included dramatizations inspired by history. Some events have been altered for dramatic purposes." This begs the question- Why would events be altered for this production when the actual unaltered historical events would have presented a historically accurate yet just as exciting and entertaining episode? The revisions to history were absolutely unnecessary, and extremely revealing of the true intent of this production. A more honest name for this episode would have been "American Genius- Our Hero, the Magnificent Glenn Curtiss (oooh, aahhh!) vs. The Wright (Losers) Brothers". But why would The National Geographic Channel be biased in their presentation, you ask?
Glenn Curtiss was recruited by Alexander Graham Bell in October of 1907 along with three other men to form the Aerial Experiment Association (AEA) with the mission to build a powered man carrying flying machine. The other three men were Frederick Baldwin, John McCurdy, and Lt. Thomas Selfridge. This team of men developed the June Bug which was praised in this National Geographic production. So where is the bias? Surprise, Surprise- Alexander Graham Bell was one of the founders of the National Geographic Society. His father-in-law was the first President of the Society in 1888. Alexander Graham Bell became the second President of the Society from 1897 to 1904. Alexander's son-in-law became editor of the National Geographic Magazine in 1899 and served for 55 years until 1954.

July 4, 1908 Glenn Curtiss flight of the June Bug, just shy of a mile in length, 1 minute, 42.5 seconds. Wilbur Wright flew 24 1/5 miles in 38 minutes, 3 seconds October 5, 1905 in front of many witnesses at Simms Station, Dayton, Ohio. Brother Orville flew 20 3/4 miles, 33 minutes, 17 seconds October 4th, 1905.Three years before the June Bug flight!

A scene opens, showing a large warehouse, the year is 1899, Dayton Ohio, with multiple workers walking around, with a sign out front "Wright Cycle Company". The National Geo Channel was unaware of the actual details of the small building that housed the Wright Cycle shop? It has been relocated to Henry Ford's Greenfield Village, Dearborn Michigan. The village is open to the public, and it is not difficult to observe that the building was not a sizable warehouse structure.
 
Another scene opens, showing a large home intending to represent Hawthorn Hill, the home Orville had built and the family occupied in 1914. But the year is now 1908. Wilbur and Orville are shown discussing Glenn Curtiss and the June Bug flight in a house that wouldn't be built for another 6 years!
The Hawthorn Hill house located in Oakwood is open for tours. National Geo Channel representatives are free to visit it and learn its history. Wilbur never entered its halls, as he died in 1912 two years before its completion!
National Geo was attempting to make the point that the Wrights were greedy and stifling innovation by pursuing their patent rights in law suits against Curtiss and others.  If the Wrights Cycle shop had been shown for the small rented space that it was, and their actual small home in West Dayton had been depicted, then the illusion that the Wrights were rich and greedy wouldn't have come across. So the history was manipulated. There is no other way to explain it. Their house was also relocated to Dearborn Michigan, and I'm sure someone from the National Geo staff could make a visit and see for themselves how small the home was. I'd suggest bringing a tape measure if that would help.

A scene opens showing the sands of Kitty Hawk. The date on the screen indicates it is 1902. Wilbur is at the controls during a glide, and suddenly things begin to go wrong. The glider crashes violently. The narrator indicates "Wilbur survives the crash. But if the Wright Brothers are going to be first in manned flight, they'll have to rethink their design and fast. After all the race to be first to fly is just heating up." Then they show Glenn Curtiss 500 miles away, working on engines. He looks to the skies at a bird, and his expression implies he's thinking about taking on flight. This entire scene is fabrication. Wilbur Wright did not violently crash in 1902. They did not have to rethink their design. The race was not heating up fast.  During the winter of 1901/1902, the Wrights performed their wind tunnel experiments. They tested hundreds of different wing designs. They determined the Lilienthal tables and Smeaton's coefficient for air pressure was incorrect. They made their own calculations- during these months they made incredible advancements in the solution to flight, and this was absolutely ignored in this National Geo production. 1902 at Kitty Hawk was a very successful year. Orville, still learning to glide, shifted the hip cradle to raise a wing, and not using the elevator properly, stalled the machine, falling backward into the sand. The craft was heavily damaged, but Orville came out of it without a scratch. They rebuilt the glider, and were back at it within a week. Shortly after this, Orville suggests rather than a fixed rudder, the rudder should be hinged, with control given to the pilot. With this change, the Brothers had solved the last component to controlled flight. 1902 was a fantastic successful year, and the Wrights returned home confident of final success. Glenn Curtiss wouldn't enter the aviation field until 1907, so why is he shown looking at birds in 1902? If there was anyone who was approaching manned flight at this time, it was Samuel Langley with the Smithsonian, and he wasn't even mentioned.

Next we're shown the July 4, 1908 flight of the June Bug, the first public flight by Glenn Curtiss- he flies almost a mile, just short of a two minute flight. We're told that people in the crowd were crying and cheering, witnessing a whole new horizon. Keep in mind that the Wright Brothers flew December 17, 1903 before witnesses, 5 years prior. And the Wrights flew at Simms Station in Dayton in 1904 and 1905 before many witnesses. Orville flew nearly 21 miles, and Wilbur 24 miles in October 1905, having developed the world's first practical aeroplane. This, three years prior to Glen Curtiss's June Bug flight. Despite this, the National Geo narrator makes this statement-

"In one day Curtiss does more to promote aviation then the Wright Brothers ever have."

Seriously, National Geo, do you take your audience for idiots? The Wright Brothers solved the flight problem in 1903. They perfected the aeroplane by 1905. In May of 1908 they made practice flights at Kitty Hawk that exceeded in length this flight made by Curtiss the next month. The flights in May were witnessed by reporters who then wrote about these flights. Additionally, the Wrights flew with a passenger in May of 1908! This was in preparation for flights to be made publicly by Orville at Ft. Myer Virginia and by Wilbur at Le Mans France in September, as contracted in deals with the US and foreign governments long before the June Bug flight.
Yet, despite the well know facts above, the National Geo presentation shows Orville and Wilbur in the Hawthorn Hill home in June of 1908 (the home that wasn't built till 1914), with Orville reading the news to Wilbur about Curtiss's June Bug flight, with expression of depression and concern, begging Wilbur that they need to make a public flight soon. While National Geo presents this "alteration of history for dramatic effect", the true history is that the Wrights had just returned from Kitty Hawk, and were preparing to perform public flights in just a couple months. 

Practice flights performed by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk to prepare for Ft Myer and Le Mans flights. Note that three of these flights exceeded the length of the flight of the June Bug made a month later, and these were just practice flights! Also note, May 14, 2 passengers, 2.5 miles.

Late season flights of 1905 by Wright Brothers at Simms Station, Dayton. Each flight listed exceeded the length of the flight made by Curtiss in the June Bug 10 to more than 20 times over, three years prior. Before many witnesses.

In the scene of the Hudson Fulton Celebration in 1909, Wilbur's flights from Governor's Island, over the Hudson River, circling the Statue of Liberty, witnessed by a million New Yorkers is mentioned. The Narrator indicates that Glenn Curtiss was also "present". This portion is historical revisionism by lack of detail. Glenn wasn't just "present", he was paid to be there to fly for the event! He attempted to take his plane up, but landed quickly as he was too nervous due to the wind conditions. Wilbur, with the vastly better engineered aeroplane, performed amazing flights while Glenn packed up his things and left the site. Not mentioning any of this, this episode instead had Glenn approach Wilbur Wright, extending a hand of friendship, and a suggestion that with cooperation, together they could make millions. Wilbur tells him "Good Luck". Then Glenn mentions Lt. Selfridge's name to place the guilt trip on Wilbur. Total historical fabrication by National Geo. (Earlier in the production, when Orville and Selfridge crash at Ft. Myer, the Narrator indicates that "For Glenn Curtiss, the competition against the Wrights turns personal". Glenn Curtiss understood this was just an unfortunate accident, as did Alexander Bell.)

Orville Wright sells his interests in the Wright Company and patents in October of 1915. Yet this National Geo production has a scene showing Glenn and Orville sitting side by side in 1917 as the patent dispute is settled once for all as the US enters WWI. Again, this scene is total historical fabrication. Orville didn't own the patents at this time!

When the opposition has to resort to tactics of distorting the truth, fabricating history, and omitting basic historical facts in order to attempt to make their case, it should be clear to all that their case is fatally flawed. The Wright Brothers solved the flight problem long before Glenn Curtiss even entered the field of aviation.

After completion of this post, I was sent the following link which I recommend:

Nat'l Geo Loses its Compass.

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