Wright relative: Aviation born in Ohio

WAPAKONETA - Forget the debate. Forget about the so-called "birthplace" and the ones who claim "first in flight."

If the history of aviation could be summarized in a book, the great-grandniece of the men who invented the airplane said the first chapters were written in Ohio.

The final chapter, she said, was written in North Carolina where the Orville and Wilbur Wright, of Dayton, first took flight, forever changing the world.

During a special presentation of "The Wright Family" at the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum, the public got an in-depth view of the famous brothers who invented the airplane.

A spokeswoman for, and relative of, the historical Wright family, Amanda Wright Lane, gave a detailed perspective about the interesting and intricate history of the brothers.

As part of Wapakoneta's 175th anniversary committee's celebration of the rich local history, in conjunction with the "Heroes of the Sky" exhibit at the museum, Becky Macwhinney, manager of the museum, said the lecture from Lane was one part of a series showing people how important the history is here.

"This brings us back to our roots," Macwhinney said. Lane "said it best when she said we take it for granted."

During that time frame in the 1800s, many men tried "flying devices," Lane said. However, the Wright brothers did something different to make Ohio the "Birthplace of Aviation."

"Back then, other inventors would make someone else, their butlers, fly the machine," Lane said. "Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the machines themselves. ... They thought: You can't learn anything sitting on the fence; you've got to ride the horse. They were so interesting in their own right, without flying."

That gave them an advantage among the many people testing machines to allow people to fly, Lane said.

"There are so many reasons why I'd be a much happier person to have met them," Lane said. "They were so fascinating in their own right."

Now, as a trustee for the Wright Family Foundation of the Dayton Foundation, Lane said she gets to meet all sorts of interesting people.

And, she said, she gets to carry on the legacy of two men who changed the world.