There had been some controversy as to whether Charles Taylor bored out the engine crankcase using the 14-inch lathe in the Wright Brother's shop.  The book,  The Wright Brothers Mechanician available from EAA at $34.95, describes a recent find by the authors of four "riser" blocks in a keg of scrap metal (undisturbed for 50 years!).  The riser blocks were used to raise the head and tail stocks of the lathe to accomodate a large part could be mounted for machining as shown.  [Large] 

One on-going discussion is how to get aboard, from the front or rear?  And once making that selection, what does one do next? 

Based on several sources, the Wright brothers would start the engine by each pulling a prop ... then one of the brothers would climb aboard ... clearly, they are getting aboard from the front. 

The tangle of guy wires makes this very difficult. 

My claim is to stand immediately in front of the wing behind the elevator pivot, stick head under and through the "X" cross braced wires, then step onto the wing warp saddle, turn, and then ease down onto your knees and then to the prone position.  I believe the muslin would act like a canvas lawn chair providing more support to the knees than one might expect.
[return to Log Feb 29 "boarding"]