The flip of a coin

[Cold Sea 8]

I thought I'll share this trivia I found on the web:

 

Before 1903, men had already flown in balloons and gliders, but no one had ever taken to the air in what we would call an airplane.

 

When the American inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright were ready to test their first successful aircraft in December of 1903, they flipped a coin to see who would be the pilot on that first flight. Wilbur won the toss. But the plane didn’t leave the ground after being launched from a track.

 

After a few adjustments, the Wrights tried again three days later. Since Wilbur had been the pilot on the first attempt, it was Orville’s turn to try.

 

On December 17, at about 10:30 in the morning, the Wright Brothers’ plane took off from the track and remained in the air for a short flight. Orville Wright had lost a coin flip, and therefore had become the first man to fly an airplane!

 

Some guys have all the luck!

Edited January 9, 2011 by Cold Sea

[Rare NotesCoins 11]

A more tricky question, What coin was it?

[lilythepink 11]

When my youngest son was about 8 years old, he asked me a very pertinent question: "Mom, when you were small did you have bicycles yet?" My reply: "Oh yes, but don't forget I was there to watch the Wright brothers on their first short flight, as I was around at the time of the Rinderpest!" For a couple of years he actually believed me!