Huffman Prairie Flying Field

— Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park —

Before tackling the problems of how to fly, Orville and Wilbur had been bicycle enthusiasts. The Wrights knew that a cyclist has to learn into high-speed turns. That same tilting movement in a flying machine is called banking. Here at Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the Wrights taught themselves how to bank their airship to make turns.

Mystery of banked turns—-combining rudder moves with wing warping—- was one of their most important steps toward developing what the brothers called a machine of practical utility.

(Inscription next to the photo at the bottom left side of the marker)
An unexpected gust of wind and a thorn-laden tree, like the ones you see far ahead in this field, helped Orville Wright figure out how best to handle his controls to turn his flying machine.

(Inscription under the photo at the upper right side of the marker)
In one flight in 1905, while circling around a honey locust tree at a height of about 50 feet, the machine suddenly began to turn up on one wing, and took a course toward the tree—-not relishing the idea of landing in a thorn tree, (I) attempted to reach the ground. The left wing, however, struck the tree..and carried away several branches.
Orville Wright

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Follow the Flight Path
A Starting Device
They Had Done It!
Trials in an Old Swamp
Flying Field to Air Force Base
The First Airport
Huffman Prairie Flying Field
Mormon Migration, Kirkland Camp / Facts About Kirkland Camp Historical
Biplanes to Rocket Science
Cow Pasture to Flight School

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