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