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German glider pioneer Otto Lilienthal helped the Wright brothers in what way?

His 1889 book on aerodynamics was a basis for their designs.

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  1. He taught them to fly in Germany
  2. He sold them their first engine
  3. His book on aerodynamics guided their designs ✔

Why: Lilienthal studied birds and built gliders that could carry a person a long way. He made more than 2,500 glider flights. His 1889 book on flight was one of the main sources the Wrights read.

Huh, didn't know that: The Wrights later found that some of Lilienthal's lift numbers were off, so they made their own.

The dad joke
Why did Lilienthal study birds? He wanted to learn from the tweet-orials.
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References

Answer: His book on aerodynamics guided their designs. Lilienthal studied birds and built gliders that could carry a person a long way. He made more than 2,500 glider flights. His 1889 book on flight was one of the main sources the Wrights read.

  1. NASA Glenn: History of Flight www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/UEET/StudentSite/historyofflight.html
    a book on aerodynamics that was published in 1889 and this text was used by the Wright Brothers
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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