The History: One of the leading American aeronautic designers and experimenters Octave Chanute responded to Wilbur Wright's letter of May 13th. Chanute was extremely helpful and recommended technical papers, sent documents and advised Wilbur on locations to test their glider.

Chanute suggested several specific technical reports for Wilbur to read. He pointed out how other experimenters attempted similar test methods and provided information on the most successful safety techniques. Since Wilbur has described raising his gliding machine and suspending it from a rope, Chanute specifically points out documents describing Australian Lawrence Hargrave's kite experiments and British professor George Fitzgerald's thoughts on flying a machine as a kite; both systems used ropes.

Chanute himself described to Wilbur that he personally disliked the complications a rope created and that he preferred to launch experiments on sandy hills or over water. Chanute feared that the rope could cause an accident by turning the vehicle in a circle or by striking the supports to which the rope was attached.

In response to Wilbur's question on a suitable location to conduct tests between September and January, Chanute suggested the sea breezes in San Diego, California or St. James City, Florida. Unfortunately, Chanute noted, these areas do not have sandy hills and he suggested East Coast areas such as South Carolina or Georgia.

Chanute encourages Wilbur to come visit him if he is in the Chicago area and they can talk more about experiments. If not Chanute would be happy to correspond with Wilbur.

Clearly, Octave Chanute has been very kind and generous in responding to Wilbur.

Why do we study history or read accounts of what others have done as Chanute has suggested to Wilbur? In part it is to learn if a process or event was successful or failed. Chanute selected these particular papers to help Wilbur Wright understand the similarities and differences between Wilbur's and others' experiments and learn what techniques had succeeded or failed.

He also provided Wilbur some excellent advice on where to conduct his experiments. He suggests landing on soft sand or over water versus hard ground. Why?