US Air Force gets first exposure to Sukhoi-30s

Originally posted by WestPoint23

But of course the Wrights copied George Cayley

Not the part about building it and making it work and fly.

I agree, that was a good and witty comeback

Shame it wasa wrong though.

The only thing the Wrights had over Cayley was the availability of a petrol engine. Full marks there for building their own as well but it wasn't Cayley's fault no such engine had been invented whrn he had invented the art of aerodynamics. He is called the 'Father of Aeronautics' you know.

Just making the point that even the Wrights, for all their greatness, weren't totally original.

I'm sure the Wrights used his laws and concepts but to go from that to a flying aircraft still takes more than enough originality.

You maybe don't realise that Cayley did build and fly aircraft, although he had to test them as gliders as he himself bemoaned the lack of a suitably powerful yet still light powerplant, and they were controlled too. His coachman quit after 'test flying' one of his gliders in the early 1850's. I guess when he climbed aboard he never expected it to take off!

Neither were they 'hang gliders' as used by Lillienthal, Pilcher and Chanute but proper 'vehicles' with a 'fuselage' which the pilot sat in and a wheeled undercarriage too (tricycle form no less - it was the 1940's before that arrangement became common place).

Anyhow, Cayley had much more than just 'idea's' going for him. Practical experience too.

The Wrights fully deserve their place in aviation history, of course they do, its just that whenever I see the comment 'everyone just copies the Wrights' even if it is just to illustrate the silliness of the 'copy' argument, I can't help but think 'Cayley'.

Its like tourette's.

Fair enough waynos I see what you are tying to say now.