This program will be available for sale to the general public starting on November 7, 2024.Want to register before then? Become a member today, or if you are already a member, log in to register for this program. Langley and Manly and Orville and Wilbur: Who Would Be the First To Fly? Evening Lecture/Seminar Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET Code: 1K0539 Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Select your Registration $25 Member $30 Non-Member Resize text First successful flight of the Wright Flyer by the Wright brothers in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina In the fall and early winter of 1903, two highly gifted, motivated, innovative, and courageous engineering teams were pushing hard toward a once-unimaginable goal: to be the first to fly. One was a pair of brothers—Orville and Wilbur Wright, who were absolute peers. The other team was composed of a mentor, Dr. Samuel Langley, secretary of the Smithsonian, and his brilliant assistant, Charles Matthews Manly. While not officially a race, the teams knew that the other was closing fast on solving the greatest engineering problem of the age. We know who won—but do we know why? Writer and filmmaker Paul Glenshaw tells the story of the epic competition in a program illustrated by images and films that draw on rare unpublished sources to present a fascinating study of human nature and the realities of cutting-edge innovation. Glenshaw is the co-writer and producer of the PBS documentary Barnstorming, co-writer and director of the aviation documentary The Lafayette Escadrille, and was a regular contributor to the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine. General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.
