We all know about the Wright Brothers - two bicycle mechanics— who pioneered the first air plane flight. Yet Dr. Samuel P Langley, a brilliant scientist who'd written volumes on the subject, was expected to do it before them. However, when Langley tried to fly his first plane, it crashed and the press labelled it "a ridiculous fiasco.' But he ignored their criticism and stayed at it. Two months later when he tried again, the plane plunged upside-down into a river, and the pilot almost drowned. This time the New York Times labelled it "Langley's Folly," and said he should give up. Langley did! Unable to bounce back, he gave up his life's dream without ever seeing one of his planes in the air. Nine days later, Orville and Wilbur Wright, with no education and no funds, flew their plane, 'Flyer One', over the sands of Kittyhawk and into the history books. Sadly, while most of the world today has heard of the Wright Brothers, Langley is almost unknown.
