#37: Rethinking Your Problems

It’s late December in 1903 and as a harsh wind blows in off the Atlantic, Will and Orv make their final preparations. The two brothers have camped out on this rugged barrier island for much of the past 4 years, flying gliders on the soft sands surrounding Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Orville lies prone on the lower wing as the engine fires up. Their flier lurches forward, only reaching a paltry 7mph due to the strong headwind, but there is enough lift to get the contraption in the air. For 12 marvellous seconds, gravity is defeated. 

Later that day, Wilbur flies over 800 ft for a full minute of airtime! These are the first ever powered, manned flights in a ‘heavier than air’ machine.

There is no fanfare – only a few members of the local lifesaving club are in attendance. Nothing about this scene would suggest the magnitude of what has just been achieved. 

Perhaps even more surprisingly, the two brothers involved are bicycle shop mechanics, with no formal education or financial backing. Their flier cost just $1000 and they are competing against the most formidable engineers, inventors and scientists of their generation. 

One of these, Samuel Langley, with the backing of the United States military has just smashed a second $50,000 flying machine in his attempts. How did the Wright brothers win the race, when the odds were stacked so heavily against them?

Firstly, they reimagined the problem. Wilbur perceived the core issue as one of balance and control, rather than flying. The others might get a machine airborne but had no way of steering or dealing with wind interference. Their competitors tried to build a train or car for the sky and therefore included powerful engines with rigid wings for stability.

The brothers instead, after countless hours watching birds in flight, realised that flexible wings were required. Birds give the impression of a smooth flight, but actually make many subtle adjustments, just as one does on a bicycle. Therefore, they allowed the pilot to lift either tip of the wing via controls. Similarly to a tree or a Japanese skyscraper, a degree of flexibility, counterintuitively provided more stability.

Secondly, they voraciously consumed research and asked for help from aviation experts, whilst also systematically and scientifically testing their own theories in a self-made wind tunnel. They realised that much longer and thinner wings were needed to create the necessary lift than was previously thought.

They also honed their skills as pilots through 1000s of glider flights. Each year they would take these learnings and make an improved glider prototype. Source

Many little failures ultimately led to their success!

WISDOM 💎

“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, and you ask, "What if I fall?" Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?”

Erin Hanson

Tip 1 - A SMART PLAY ✅

Research and learn from those that came before you. However, don’t be afraid to conduct your own experiments too. Sometimes everyone can accept a truth that just isn’t so.

Tip 2 - AVOID 🚩

Trying to solve the problem like everyone else. Often by thinking differently and getting to the crux of the problem, we realise what is truly needed.

Tip 3 - ACTION 💪

In your business or life what problems are you trying to solve? How can you reimagine the problem first, before looking for solutions?