Page 9 - Ruth Law

RUTH LAW
DAYTONA'S PIONEER AVIATOR

BI-PLANES AND GLIDERS

Octave Chanute
1832-1910

"...let us hope that the advent of a successful flying
machine, now only dimly foreseen and nevertheless
thought to be possible, will bring nothing but good into
the world; that it shall abridge distance, make all parts of
the globe accessible, bring men into closer relation with
each other, advance civilization, and hasten the promised
era in which there shall be nothing but peace and good-
will among all men." Octave Chanute

Octave Chanute was a French-born American railway
engineer and aviation pioneer. He became interested in
aviation during a visit to Europe in 1875. After retiring
from his engineering business in 1890, he decided to
devote his time to aviation and furthering its new
concepts. Working with two younger partners, Augustus
Herring and William Avery, he tested hang gliders of their
own design as well as those of other aviators.

Chanute invented the "strut-wire" braced wing structure
that would be used in powered biplanes of the future.
The Wright brothers based their glider and “Flyer”
designs on Chanute's "double-decker," as they called it.

The Wright brothers read Chanute's "Progress in Flying
Machines," (1894) and were encouraged by him during
his visits to Kitty Hawk in 1901, 02, and 03.

HER PLACE IN AVIATION HISTORY
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