Details, details...

It was raining most of the day, and wind conditions were, at best, fair only. The ground was soft, muddy, with standing water. The field between Kill Devil Hill and the actual "first flight" launching site had been plowed and furrowed to better duplicate the soft landing conditions the Wright's had on sand a century ago.

The aircraft rolled out of the hangar at 12:10, and the moved to the launching track. The crowd goes wild.

• 12:24 Kevin Kochersberger mounts the aircraft.
• 12:28 Engine start, more applause and cheers.
• 12:30 First flight attempt. Plane moves down the track, catches a puff of wind, lifts about 6 inches high, and then comes down and to the right. Crowd Cheers again.
  
• 3:32PM Aircraft out of hangar, and on the 200 foot launching track.
• 3:44 Kochersberger again mounts aircraft.
• 3:46 Engine start
• 3:48 Engine shut-down. Only 3mph wind. Optimum wind is 10-12 knots, or 12-14 miles an hour.

In the afternoon news conference, Ken Hyde (right) tells reporters:
"This is a project that is not coming to an end. The Wrights made major discoveries later.

The 1903 aircraft was a prototype. 1905 flyer was a practical aircraft. We want to repeat the Wrights flights in LeMans, France in 1908, and at Fort Myer, Virginia."

In other words, while the Centennial project may be headed to the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan, Ken Hyde will continue to fly Wright Aircraft.

FMI: www.wrightexperience.com