In their struggle to fly, the Wright brothers were engaged in strife with their own government. President McKinley's administration decided to dedicate an unprecedented amount of money to ensure that the first flyers would be American but the Wrights refused such financial support for fear of the strings attached, and resolved to go it alone. This book tells the story of the raw ambition, high ideals, greed, and cloak and dagger tactics of each side. By 1903, the Federal venture was in its seventh year and the Wright brothers had been working nights and weekends, often in secret for four years. Everything came to a head in eight tense days in December when the battle--and the fame and fortune that would follow--was decided.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' historic flight, Gutman delivers the fictional diary of a boy who helps the Wrights' build their flying machine, giving a new perspective to the historical events. Illustrations.

An in-depth look at the people and the science behind our attempts to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere with direct air capture. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders at the intersection of climate science, energy technology, and public policy, Paul McKendrick's investigation traces more than 20 years of technological development with direct air capture, from Biosphere 2; to multi-million dollar promises from Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk; to the opening of Orca, the world's largest commercial direct air capture facility, in Iceland in 2021. The question of what will be necessary for direct air capture to reach a meaningful scale, and how much it will cost, has fueled intense scientific and political debate, and spurred a value chain that spans finance, industry, technology, policy, and academia. McKendrick's clear and riveting prose presents the full story of this fascinating pursuit for the first time, inviting readers to learn more about this critical climate intervention option.

A thrilling account, Race to Hawaii chronicles the first flights to Hawaii in the 1920s, during the Golden Age of Aviation. These journeys were fraught with danger. To reach the tiny islands, fearless pilots flew unreliable and fragile aircraft outfitted with primitive air navigation equipment. The Dole Derby was an unprecedented 1927 air race in which eight planes set off at once across the Pacific, all eager to reach the islands first and claim a cash prize offered by "Pineapple King" James Dole. Military men, barnstormers, a schoolteacher, a Wall Street bond salesman, a Hollywood stunt flyer and veteran World War aces all encountered every type of hazard during their perilous flights. With so many pilots taking aim at the far-flung islands in so many different types of planes, everyone wondered who would reach Hawaii first, or at all.

Experience the rush! Feel the adrenaline! Live the excitement! It is the second half of the twenty-first century, an era of highly advanced aviation innovation and the golden age of the extraordinary motor sport of air racing. When finding out his hometown airport will be venue of the most famous air race in the world, thirteen-year-old pilot student Keithan Quintero determines himself to be in it, so long as his best friends, Fernando and Marianna, help him out. Keithans goal: to become the youngest air-racing champion in history. But the air race is not the only thing getting Keithan and everyone elses attention. Strange sightings in the sky, followed by unusual behaviors within Ramey Airport, have led locals to believe it could all be a new case of unidentified flying objects. All of this soon becomes a challenging distraction while Keithan prepares for the race. In an attempt to find answers, he and his friends discover a legion of fighter pilots thought to exist only in legends. Even more surprising, the legion knows that the upcoming air race might be concealing something bad. Filled with intriguing secrets and intense air-racing sequences, this futuristic novel is sure to take readers on an exciting adventure, making them wish they were air racers too. So get ready and strap yourself before turning to the first page!

One of New Zealand’s greatest rally drivers and a hill-climbing superstar tells his inspiring story for the very first time. Rod Millen was a hero of New Zealand rallying in the 1970s. Having won several championships he quickly established himself as New Zealand's number one driver. But thereafter Millen went on to do what very few Kiwis have achieved, finding podium success in American motorsport. He won the North American Race and Rally Championship in 1979, 1980 and 1981, then in 1989 Millen achieved perhaps his greatest feat, winning the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, America's second oldest motor-racing event. Writing his name into history, he went on to win the race more times than any driver. The hill-climb is often referred to as 'Millen's Mountain'. Rod Millen is also a highly successful businessman. As a continuation of his off-road driving interests, he founded Millenworks in California in 1980, specializing in cutting-edge light tactical vehicles, armored and off-road vehicles and subsystems for the US military and theme parks. Millen has recently returned to New Zealand, building a 140-acre, ocean-front estate at Hahei with a racetrack as a driveway, modeled on his favourite hill-climb corners around the world. He's also established Leadfoot Festival, a unique weekend held every two years at the estate, bringing together a mix of classic cars, vintage motorcycles and motorsport legends, inspired by the famous British Goodwood Festival of Speed. Aside from rallying, Rod is well known for other forms racing such as super touring, drifting and extreme off-road races like the Baja 1000 (often considered the most dangerous race in the world) and Transsyberia rally (which he won in 2007). Rod also won the Race to the Sky hill-climb in New Zealand in 2002 and posted the fastest time at the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed in England - and he still has the record up his own front driveway. The Cutting Edge is Rod's story, in his own words, of a life lived pushing the boundaries, of record-breaking off-road driving, working at the forefront of motorsport technology, and of creating the ultimate petrol-head heaven, right in his own backyard.