I thought I was right - I distinctly remember the French bit and the Balloon bit.
But obviously it wasn't patented or thought to be useful (obviously there was no flight, so why would it be necessary).

As for the F86. Walsh or Welsh (I'll have to try and find the site dedicated to him) was a test pilot also, at the place that became known as 'Edwards' (where Yaeger was also) he broke the barrier in F86 test flights.

I'll post the story when I find it.    

All of these people have contributed a lot to aviation. But as mentioned before, the Wrights started it. Without them, Lindbergh, Earhart, and RJ Mitchel wouldnt have been able to achieve incredible feats. The Wrights inspired them, and every aviator and designer.

RJ Mitchels contribution to the RAF and Britain as a whole was very important. But the impact he had lasted for about a dozen or couple more decades. His Spit and other airplanes did bring victory to England during WWII, but in contribution we should try to point out the person whos work and creations will always influence man. Apart from simply being the first to create an airworthy craft, another Wright Bros' plane was modified, sold, and flown off a Navy ship, being the first American plane to do this (if i remember correctly..) This triggered an interest in carrier-borne airpower, although would be taken more seriously in the pacific.' Because of the Wrights, Lindbergh and Earhart and every aviator were inspired to do incredible things with a machine called the airplane. Frank Whittle, whose jet engine revolutionized aviation had a magnificent impact on the future..but Whittle created the jet engine for the airplane.

Final point being - Without the Wrights, there would be no future accomplishments. They started it

Oz,

I understand the importance of the Wrights contribution in that it proved the possibility and hence, the viability of powered flight. But they didn't invent the 'concept'. It goes back literally centuries (as stated to at least DaVinci) in terms of it being realiswtically possible.

So, althought their 'invention' made developments to follow possible, as you say, because the 'concept' was already well and truly alive and being seriously developed by many around the same time (and before), this is why we are saying that it would have been a reality within a short time after their first flight.

I still feel I have to go with the parachute bloke (whoever history decides is the one responsible).
I mean, if we want to get right down to it, what is more of a contribution to any pursuit than the preservation of life (in the order of 'countless 1000's) whilst the pursuit is being enjoyed or used for the betterment of mankind?

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Just something interesting!

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My vote goes to Charles Lindbergh because his accomplishments showed the viability of commercial air travel and opened up the industry.  It wasn't just the famous flight, it was the [i]effect /i] of the famous flight.

I would have agreed with DaVinci if he had ever gotten anything off the ground.

The reasons (IMHO) DaVinci failed were lack of a lightweight power plant and the unknown Bernoulli Principle.  Once Daniel Bernoulli discovered the fluid equation we just had to wait for lightweight power to be invented, which was inevitable.

Somewhere between DaVinci, a brilliant dreamer, and the Wright brothers, who put it all together, Daniel Bernoulli figured out how to make a wing work.

Hagar:
Yeager did fall off a horse the night before be broke the barrier and broke his rib.  I read his autobiography, and it's a great read.  He has the most amasing stories from WWII, when he was a test pilot, and an interesting one about a trip he took to the USSR.  If anyone here hasn't read it I suggest you do.  I've read it maybe three times now.

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What's the title on the book? I would love to read it!

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Sorry, didn't even see the links