The 1903 Camp, Kitty Hawk
Image credit: Library of Congress

The Wrights' thrust test was the last hurdle before the historic flights of December 1903. The Wrights would only be able to test the the thrust of the propellers when they had assembled the machine in Kitty Hawk. With their engine producing more horsepower than predicted, the brothers strengthed the machine, adding to its wieght. The test would determine if the propellers, designed for a lighter load, could produce enough thrust to power the machine into the air.

After frustrating delays for repair of the propeller shafts, which were damaged during the first runs of the engine, the Wrights tested the propellers' thrust. The tests were a success, with the propellers producing all the thrust neccessary for a successful flight.

The Wrights' commitment to exemplary scientific practice might be best illustrated by this test. They had developed a theory for aerial propeller design and function; proper tests to gauge the propellers' performance had to be carried out before actual flights could be attempted.

(Crouch 1989)