View From The Top Of Big Kill Devil Hill

Octave Chanute was an American civil engineer and aviation pioneer. He provided the Wright Brothers with advice and helped them to publicize their flying experiments. Wilbur Wright read Chanute’s book, "Progress in Flying Machines," and wrote to him. Chanute quickly saw the genius of the two brothers. Chanute sent his assistants to North Carolina to work with the Wrights in 1902. The brothers were making 600-foot flights in their fully controllable glider. The airplane was finally ready for an engine. By the following year, they took off and flew under power.