13A - Reading Reflection No. 1

For this assignment, I read "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough.

1. One of the things that most surprised me from reading this book was learning about how the brothers first got into the bicycle business which would eventually lead them to begin dreaming of building planes. Wilbur wanted to go to college but suffered serious facial injuries from being hit with a hockey stick and it caused him to stay in Dayton, Ohio. I also was surprised to learn that bicycles were considered to be very problematic by residents of the late 19th century, who thought they would corrupt the youth. I most admired Wilbur and Orville's ingenuity and perseverance as the idea of a flying machine was something that seemed impossible to many people, and the brothers faced many setbacks. I least admired the fact that many people tried to take credit for helping to push air travel along after their initial experiments. They encountered a lot of failure with their initial prototypes however they kept pushing on and testing aircraft after aircraft.

2. The Wright Brothers definitely exhibited a lot of competencies in the development of the airplane. Obviously, their engineering prowess was especially helpful as the development of new technology is going to require scientific knowledge and construction skill, but they also had many soft skills that made them celebrities after the plane was developed. Wilbur acted as the charming ambassador for their project and convinced many people to support them. They also were very hard workers and would spend long hours in the workshop even after making significant progress.

3. I was a bit confused about how they would continue to improve their designs after facing many failures as it seems to me that I would conclude that it was not possible, however, the Wrights had great scientific curiosity which allowed them to innovate continuously.

4. Q1: Did you see the airplane as being a good commercial idea to make money, or were you simply doing it for curiosity's sake and to pursue engineering progress?
Q2: What were some of the most hostile reactions to bicycle sales in Dayton during the time when they were seen as controversial?

5. Orville and Wilbur definitely had a positive outlook towards hard work as it was reported they would often be seen sneaking off to go work in the workshop even after they were already being lauded for their success. They believe that the design could always be improved and they were looking for a way to do so. I agree with this as if you get complacent after initial success, other people will be able to surpass you.