When Wright 'B' Flyer Inc. Takes Its One-Of-A-Kind Airplane To EAA AirVenture 2015, It Will Take More Than Filing A Flight Plan

The Wright “B” Flyer, a modern look-alike of the Wright Brothers’ first production airplane, has limited range and is tiring to fly. Despite this, it’s going to make the trip to AirVenture this year, but it won’t be doing it by air.

It will make the trip to AirVenture by highways instead of airways. The nonprofit organization’s volunteers will laboriously disassemble the 3,400-pound biplane, carefully load it into a custom trailer and have it hauled overland to Oshkosh. It will then be reassembled and displayed both on the ground and in flight.

Transporting the next-generation Wright “B” Flyer will be a much simpler affair. The organization is designing another one-of-kind flyer, this one designed for easy disassembly and scaled to fit in a standard shipping container that will allow the nonprofit organization to show and display the airplane worldwide.

Wright “B” Flyer Inc. has received more than $100,000 towards its $300,000 fundraising goal for the project of build the new Wright B Flyer, with a challenge grant to match up to another $50,000. The fundraising campaign recently advanced with the donation of a steel container by Benedict Tractor and Containers Inc. (BEI) of Monroe, Ohio. Wright “B” Flyer estimates the donation saved it more than $4,000.

Wright “B” Flyer President William J. “Jay” Jabour said, “This container is exactly what we will need to represent America’s aviation heritage across the country and overseas. We’re extremely grateful for BEI’s support.”

Like the current “B”, the new airplane will resemble the original, 1910-era Wright Model B Flyer, but it will use modern materials and meet modern safety standards. It will be built at the original Wright Company factory in Dayton with support from the National Aviation Heritage Alliance and the Experimental Aircraft Association. The factory is where the Wright Brothers produced the first Model B Flyers more than a century ago, launching America’s aviation industry.

In addition to the shipping container, Wright “B” Flyer’s “wish list” includes an engine, instruments, materials, tools, professional services and volunteers. To find out how you can help with this worthy project, visit the website listed below.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.wright-b-flyer.org