OCTAVE CHANUTE GLIDER Click icon to

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ABOUT THE PERSON

Octave Chanute is born on Feb 18th 1832.

He was an American railroad engineer and aviation pioneer.

At his death, he was known as the father of the aviation and the heavier-than-air flying machine.

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Chanute has corresponded with many aviation pioneers including Augustus Herring, William Avery, William Paul

THE KATYDID
The Katydid featured multiple wings that could be moved about on the fuselage to facilitate experimentation.

The frame was made of spruce; the surfaces were of varnished Japanese silk.

The craft underwent several changes in its wing configuration that improved its flying ability.

In its final configuration, it weighed 33.5 pounds (15.2 kilograms), with a supporting surface at the front of 143.5 square feet (13.3 square meters).

Flown on the shores of Lake Michigan at Miller Beach, Indiana, near Chicago, the craft made some two hundred glides. 7/13/12

KATYDID GALLERY

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THE CHANUTEHERRING GLIDER

The Wright brothers called this glider as the 'Chanute double decker'. This glider was the model the Wright brothers used in constructing their gliders and their first airplane. Both Herring and Chanute contributed to the design. Each 16-foot (4.9-meter) wing was covered with varnished silk. The pilot hung from two bars that ran down 7/13/12 from the upper wings and passed

This plane was originally flown at Dune Park, Indiana, as a triplane on August 29, 1896, but was found to be unwieldy. Chanute and Herring removed the lowest of the three wings, which vastly improved its gliding ability. In its flight on September 11, it flew 256 feet (78 meters).
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THE CHANUTEHERRING GLIDER GALLERY

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THE 1904 EXPOSITION GLIDER

1. Chanute built one more biplane glider, which was flown more than 80 times by William Avery at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. 1. To launch the glider from a level field, Chanute devised a launching apparatus in which the pilot held the glider and stood on a small rolling dolly. 1. This glider was first flown on October 7th, Avery ascended 35 feet and glided for 175 feet. 1. The 1904 glider is the only one surviving today that was built by Chanute.
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EXPOSITION GLIDER GALLERY

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It now hangs in Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace(French Air and Space Museum ), Paris, France.

CHANUTE AND WRIGHT BROTHERS

The Wright brothers began their long association with Chanute in 1899, when they started serious work on their airplane. The Wrights corresponded with Chanute regularly, carefully detailing their thoughts to him. He served as their mentor, encouraging their efforts and offering advice.

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Chanute also witnessed the early Wright flights, including the 1902 glider and the 1904 and 1905 powered flyer. Chanute became estranged from the Wrights during their efforts to sell their airplane.

Around the time of his death on November 23, 1910, Chanute and the Wrights were working toward reconciliation. Wilbur 7/13/12

In memory of Octave Chanute, the town Chanute in Kansas and the former Chanute Air Force Base near Rantoul, Illinois is named after him. The former base has now been turned into Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum, detailing the history of aviation and of Chanute Air Force Base. As part of commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers flight in 2003, Aviation Week & Space Technology named Chanute 38th on its list of top 100 most

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THANK YOU

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