Talk:Percy Pilcher

First Briton killed in a flying accident?
I think Percy Pilcher was the first Briton to be killed in a flying accident. If we can confirm this with a suitable reference then I think it is noteworthy for the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.148.33.115 (talk) 00:29, 22 January 2015 (UTC)

Untitled
"...with his triplane having never been flown."

It is inconceivable that a perfectionist like Pilcher would have dreamed of showing off his revolutionary powered triplane without testing it first

I believe--could be wrong--that Pilcher was planning to demonstrate the unpowered (glider) version of the Triplane, but I certainly agree with you that it's hard to imagine even a casual aviator of the era demonstrating something so radical as a powered aircraft without first assuring himself it could actually fly.173.62.11.254 (talk) 20:10, 19 March 2016 (UTC)

Flight of the Pilcher replica - 2003
The article states that "A replica of Pilcher's aircraft was built, and after some problems, achieved a sustained controlled flight of 1 minute and 26 seconds, significantly longer than the Wright Brothers' first flight."

This is true, but more than a little disingenuous. Concerning the replica, this site states "Flights on the day [in November 2003] lasted about 10secs but the following week this was extended to 1min 25secs." This means that the first flights of the replica were shorter than the Wrights' first flight of 17 Dec 1903. A team of aviators and mechanics with 100 years of knowledge and tradition behind them then took about a week to make a flight that was a bit longer than the Wrights' fourth flight (which lasted 59 seconds, also made on 17 December).

That web page also includes a link to a transcript of the BBC program that presented (and no doubt commissioned) the replica's flight. The transcript makes it clear that the replica included some non-original features such as an augmented control system.

Drawing conclusions from a replica flown long after the time of the original is fraught with peril. In this case, the details of the replica flight make it clear that the statements in the Wiki article are not fully supportable.

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I saw the BBC program and one glaring omission is any information about the engine used in the replica vs the original. The program only states "To power the triplane the team chose a small modern engine." They state that Pilcher's hand made engine was 4hp, but don't give it's weight and do not give the power or weight of the modern engine they used. From the looks of the engine there is no doubt it is lighter than any engine of the period in question, and most likely much more powerful too. 72.73.123.111 (talk) 09:54, 4 August 2009 (UTC)

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Pilcher's engine weighed 40 pounds, according to Philip Jarrett's book "Another Icarus." (Surprised that book isn't noted in the bibliography for this article, since it's the only full-length book ever written about Pilcher, and it was written by a respected and experienced aviation writer,) So the six-hp modified chainsaw engine the Cranford/BBC replica used not only had 50 percent more hp than the Pilcher/Wilson engine, it also had a vastly better power-to-weight ratio. I'm guessing it weighed 10 to 15 pounds, from my experience with small engines in chainsaws, go-karts and motorized bicycles. It's no wonder the BBC-program replica flew, albeit briefly.173.62.11.254 (talk) 20:18, 19 March 2016 (UTC)

Pilchers new engine.
During the mid 1950s there still people alive who'd known Pilcher personally. The BBC broadcast a programme at this time about Pilcher and invited people to write in with their memories.

One such claimed to have seen Pilchers new more powerful engine under the stairs at Stanford Hall. Whether it was delivered before Pilchers death or shortly after is unclear. What happened to it also appears to be unknown.

The possibility remains that had Pilcher waited long enough to install the new engine and better weather it may well have been Lt. Percy Pilcher RN, of the British Empire as the first man to fly.

If the original 1950s footage could be traced it may well answer a number of questions about the whole series of attempts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.93.199.154 (talk) 09:47, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Gobbledegook
Is there any chance of this being written in english, it is totally indecipherable to me.

the Bat had a double use of the triangle control frame (TCF) as both a piloting device as well as an airframe part that doubled in kinposting utility.

Petebutt (talk) 02:30, 28 December 2011 (UTC)