Recreating the Wright Stuff A full-scale replica of the historic
1903 Wright Flyer was constructed and delivered to NASA's Ames
Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., for wind-tunnel
testing during the spring of 1999. During the tests, engineers
studied the biplane's stability, control, and handling at speeds
up to 27 knots (30 mph) in the wind tunnel. The data obtained
was used to build a second Wright Flyer, which was to be flown
flown at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 2003, on the 100th
anniversary of the first flight. Bad weather prevented pilot
Kevin Kochersberger from completing the reenactment. Constructed
by a team of volunteers from the Los Angeles section of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), using
plans provided by the Smithsonian, the replica features a
40-foot, 4-inch wingspan reinforced with piano wire, cotton wing
coverings, spruce propellers, and a double rudder. The second
Flyer, with some modifications for safety, was built by the team
of volunteers from the AIA