a canard biplane configuration. The Wright Flyer was based on the Wrights experience testing gliders at Kitty Hawk between 1900 and 1902. The Wrights built the aircraft in 1903 using giant spruce wood as their construction material. Since they could find no suitable automobile engine for the task they commissioned their employee Charlie Taylor to build a new design from scratch. A sprocket chain drive borrowing from bicycle technology powered the twin propellers which were also made by hand. In 1904 the Wrights continued refining their designs and piloting techniques in order to obtain fully controlled flight. Major progress toward this goal was achieved in 1904 and even more decisively with the modificatio...  (less)