Wright airplane control patentIn 1903, the Wright brothers filed a U.S. patent for their method of controlling a airplane in flight. After three years experimenting with gliders, they were now building their powered Wright Flyer, which made its historic flight at the end of the year, on 17 Dec 1903. The patent was not issued until 22 May 1906 (No. 821,393). Their claim was not the invention of a flying machine, but described the important new flight control technique of wing-warping. Significantly, the patent embraced any subsequent methods used to adjust the outer edges of the wings. Adjustments made independently on the edges of the left and right wings changing the angle of incidence to the air gave critical roll control. Ailerons devised by others were judged also covered by the patent. The Wrights agressively protected their patent rights.« |
