Orville Wright, [Diary Entry], October 1903


[1 October 1903, Thursday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

[Page 3]

Worked on building. Have sides on and lathing in roof. Put on part of the paper. Very little wind.

Weather Data for 1 October 1903


[2 October 1903, Friday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

Finished papering roof, and made door for north end. Wind from west.

Weather Data for 2 October 1903


[3 October 1903, Saturday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

Wind of 7 meters all day. Dan worked on building while Will and I made changes in the vert. tail and the twisting of the wings. We increased the tail to 11 2/3 [sq.] ft. as we used early last year, and arranged to get more twist to the wings with less motion of the body. At 2:30 p.m. we went to Big Hill where we made about 30 or 40 glides. Will made one of 43 seconds in traveling about 450 ft. I made one of 34 ½ seconds in about the same distance. We made three or four other glides of over 30 seconds each.

[Page 4]

[...] We found the control, as a result of enlarging and moving further the tail, to be much improved, and our glides were higher and more spectacular than anything heretofore. The wind of 7 meters is not enough for soaring, but with 9 or ten meters we expect to be able to stay up several minutes at a time.

Weather Data for 3 October 1903


[4 October 1903, Sunday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

Visited Kill Devil Station in afternoon. I wrote cards and letters in evening.

Weather Data for 4 October 1903


[5 October 1903, Monday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

[Page 5]

Wind from south most of day, blowing about 6 meters. In afternoon took machine to south side of Big Hill where we made about a dozen glides over a steep incline. Glides ranged from 10 to 15 seconds in time. Dist traveled was probably not over 75 to 100 ft. Worked on building rest of day.

Weather Data for 5 October 1903


[6 October 1903, Tuesday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

Wind of 4 to 5 meters from south and later from east. Will and I worked on new cradle which we upholstered so as to be softer than old one. Dan worked on walks about new building.

Weather Data for 6 October 1903


[7 October 1903, Wednesday - Orville Wright Diary, Kill Devil Hills, NC]

Wind 3 meters in morn. 5 in afternoon. We made tail so as to operate direct from cradle. Letter from K.W. [Katharine Wright] & paper [from] Geo. Feight.

Weather Data for 7 October 1903

Citation: Diary entry, October 1903. Diary of Orville Wright, Papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Manuscript Division, Library of Congress.
Location: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA