In 1899 the Wright brothers designed and built a special box kite to use to test and develope their theories about controlling the flight of an aircraft. This was a biplane box kite about six feet long, fifteen inches wide and about fifteen inches tall. All the framework was hinged to allow it to twist. The kite was controlled from the ground with four strings tied to strategic places on the frame. Using this system, they developed ways to control the kites ability to bank right and left, dive and climb.
They designed and built several kites using this design, always perfecting the design and gaining more control. Using these kites as models they constructed a glider in 1900. This glider had the capacity to carry a man, but the brothers decided to test it before flying in it themselves. They did not want to suffer the same fate as Lilianthal, who died flying one of his gliders. The glider was flown like a kite at first, using the ground control system they had developed for the box kites.
All of this experimenting led, of course, to their eventual success on December 12, 1903. History of Flight and Avaition
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