About the Book
“The Wright Company: From Invention to Industry” by Edward J. Roach (Ohio University Press, 218 pages, paperback $22.95, hardcover $69.95)
Numerous books have been written about Dayton’s native sons, Wilbur and Orville Wright. Many books depict how these two highly secretive brothers visualized then ultimately devised an aircraft that was one of the great engineering feats in history. Those Wright brothers had found a way for human beings to take to the air in powered flight.
In 1909 the Wrights founded the Wright Company in Dayton. This was their attempt to forge a commercial venture based upon their invention.
This particular chapter in their story hasn’t gotten as much press as their earlier, more daring exploits.
The historian Edward J. Roach works for the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. He has just published “The Wright Company: From Invention to Industry.” This book reveals the inner workings of the Wright Company and shows how their creation was being transformed, adapted, and improved in a surging aviation industry that was just beginning to take off.
In March of 1903, the Wrights submitted a patent application for their flying machine. In May of 1906, they received U.S. Patent number 821,393. Three years later the fledgling aviation industry was growing fast and the Wrights were preparing to capitalize on their invention.
The Wright Company received funding from some wealthy investors in New York. Then the Wrights began manufacturing and shipping airplanes from their factory in Dayton. Things seemed to be going well at the beginning.
But there was trouble on the horizon. This book reveals that while the Wrights were geniuses when it came to their invention they seemed to lack the business acumen to run a company that could remain competitive. And the Wrights were determined to protect their patent — this then became a massive distraction.
The aviator Glenn Curtiss had started his own aircraft manufacturing business. The Wrights believed that Curtiss was infringing on their patent. The Wrights and Curtiss became embroiled in litigation. Wilbur Wright took the lead in handling the lawsuit. This prevented him from spending much time doing what he did best, designing aircraft.
As the litigation played out the Wrights were reluctant to embrace any new technology in their airplane designs. Meanwhile the industry was moving forward quickly. For a brief period before WWI, France was actually leading the way.
In 1912 Wilbur Wright came down with typhoid fever and quickly succumbed to his illness. He was only 45 years old. At this same time the Wright Company was going in to decline. Their competition was passing them by. After Wilbur died, Orville had to deal with the patent litigation. Orville just could not manage it all without his beloved Wilbur.
This book contains fascinating bits of aviation history. In the chapter “The Exhibition Department” we encounter daredevil pilots willing to risk it all to thrill the crowds below. The Wright Company had done well with exhibitions but times were changing fast. So were the airplanes. America entered WWI as the Wright’s plane designs were becoming obsolete. Orville sold the company in 1915. The Wrights had changed the world forevermore.
About the Author