HELLO from Asheville, North Carolina, some 500 miles West of Columbia. Four days ago, we traveled from Columbia to the Outer Banks, some 50 miles distant beyond Pamlico Sound, where we visited a number of old friends from Hurricane IRENE days some three years ago.
Looking at the picture map below, Outer Banks (at 2:00 o'clock) jut far into the Atlantic Ocean and stretch some 100 miles North to South. This ring of offshore islands form a barrier a couple feet above sea level, effectively protecting many square miles of marsh land in and around Pamlico Sound.
Kitty Hawk, the site of the FIRST powered airplane flight is located in the Northern Sector of the Outer Banks. The entire island chain is a popular vacation destination for beach lovers, quality shopping, and big game fishing in the nearby Gulf Stream.
Two days ago, we departed the Outer Banks, arriving in Asheville an hour ago, where the Sheriff has arranged an overenight parking for SPIA.
While on the Banks, Dr. Blakemore once again did Laser Surgery on my left eye, punching some twenty "holes" in the membrane sack which holds the plastic disc inserted some years ago. The new "holes" allow more light to enter the eye-ball to enhance my dwindling low-light vision ... all at NO cost to me ... ; Dr. Blakemore explains that his many hours of my treatment are his contribution to my many years of walking and blogging America.
Outer Banks are at 2:00 o"clock on the above map.
Asheville is at 9:00 o"clock on I-40 (Interstate 40).
Our immediate destination is Knoxville, Tennessee, some 100 miles West of Asheville. We have been invited to the home of my youngest Sister, Mille, who lives in Knoxville. She has cleared her calendar so she and I will have three days over Thanksgiving holiday to catch up on our many years apart.
While on the Outer Banks, we stopped in at KITTY HAWK to once again photograph that historic place to share here on our blog ...
The FLYER is displayed in front of the GLIDER inside the museum of the Wright Brothers, who designed, built, and piloted both machines over the sands of KITTY HAWK.
Wright Brothers FLYER, looking from the left wing tip.
The front of the aircraft has two horizontal elevators -WINGS - on the center line left; these control the aircraft UP and DOWN.
The Vertical Stabilizer - WING - is standing on the aircraft center line right; The Vertical Stabilizer turns aircraft left and right.
The main horizontal wings "TWIST" (about six feet of the wing tips), causing the aircraft to "Roll" - or "Bank"; i.e. as the right wing tip twists UP, the left wing tip twists DOWN, inputting a "roll" of the entire FLYER, helping to stabilize the aircraft as it "TURNS"
Lying on his belly, the PILOT has small handles or foot levers to operate the wings.
The brothers designed and built a gasoline motor which is mounted on the lower main wing a bit to the right side of the pilot. This motor is linked to twin propellers - one on each side of the center line behind the wings (pusher props).
As the propellers spin, air is pulled over the curved wings, (look closely to SEE the wing curvature from leading edge to trailing edge ) essentially pushing the FLYER forward.
The shape of the wings (convex on top; concave on the bottom ) forces the air flowing OVER the TOP of the wing to travel farther and faster than the air flowing UNDER the wings. This causes the top flowing air to travel faster and farther than the bottom air, creating a hole ( vacuum ) in the air. The aircraft actually is lifted UP - CLIMBS - INTO this hole (void of air ) as it moves forward.
Must be much better ways to explain how and why aircraft FLY, but sitting in PIZZA HUT on this brilliant sunshiny afternoon, we have, I hope, the essentials correct.
Looking down the center line of FLYER's Wings. Vertical and Horizontal wings are clearly seen.
Wood "Tracks" were in place ( where cement path now lies ) to guide FLYER on the ground until it gained enough forward speed to "lift" into the void created by the curved Wings ( curve = FOIL ) ...
... and FLY !
Click the photo to enlarge.
The white markers mark the DISTANCE of each of four flights made by the Wright Brothers. The fourth marker is some hundreds of feet Down Range out of this image.
LIVING quarters at GROUND ZERO.
...and a few feet away, the Aircraft Hangar.
Driving from Columbia to the Outer Banks are two major causeways. This causeway crosses the ALLIGATOR RIVER which IS part of the Inland Waterway allowing boats to sail from New York to (nearly) Mexico without entering the Ocean or Gulf waters. The distant Sail Boat is about to cross through the causeway Draw Bridge while vehicle traffic is stopped.
A real stuffed and mounted 8 foot long fish adorning the wall of one of Dr. Blakemore's treatment rooms.
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It is now 3:30 PM. While creating this blog update, I have enjoyed a PIZZA / SALAD lunch. Our overnight parking spot is available at 6:00 PM, After posting, will do some Window Licking (Shopping - or said CRI so many years ago).
As much as I have enjoyed helping Dallas and Bob this past year - plus -, feels good to be back on the road.
In the morning, will mosey on to Knoxville some 100 miles distant where Sister Mille and I will commiserate, sharing war stories of 30 some years crunched into some 72 hours.
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