Perhaps the most important book in the history of aviation, this volume contains research that originally appeared in The Railroad and Engineering Journal between 1891 and 1893. In it, the distinguished French-born aviation pioneer Octave Chanute analyzed virtually every flight experiment up to that time, explained their flaws and focused attention on the principles that showed most promise. His data on flight control and equilibrium was crucial to the early designs of the Wright Brothers. New Introduction. 90 illustrations.