The Gustave Whitehead debate continues at the Stratford Library

 

Author Susan Brinchman

STRATFORD - The Stratford Library will continue its  “Sunday Afternoon Talks”, a monthly series of "informative and entertaining talks featuring prominent local guest speakers," at 2 p.m. Feb, 7 with author Susan Brinchman and Educator Andy Kosch, according to a release..'

The February topic is: “Gustave Whitehead: First in Flight”, based on Brinchman’s latest book about the aviator, the release said. The program  is free and open to the public.
See photos of Whitehead and his aircraft in 1901 here.

"The ongoing controversy over who flew first in America, the Wright brothers or Gustave Whitehead, continues to this day," the release said.  "The public is invited to meet Brinchman, via Skype, as she makes her case of Whitehead’s notable accomplishments which predate those of the Wright Brothers. Brinchman's discussion will cover Fairfield, Connecticut’s connection to the first man who accomplished the "first in powered flight" and the inventor of the airplane."

The release noted that the author "is uniquely suited to present documentation for the achievements of the controversial aviation pioneer. Brinchman is an expert on Gustave Whitehead and is an experienced educator and early aviation researcher with a love of history. A highly successful educator for 36 years, she holds four California teaching credentials including social sciences, with a master's degree in educational technology. She resides in California."

Her new book, "Gustave Whitehead; First in Flight," "utilizes her key research for the past five decades, where she was present for key events such as interviews with witnesses and familiar with the places Whitehead lived and flew."

Educator Andy Kosch also will be a live guest speaker at the Library bringing a replica of the Whitehead #21 model. "Kosch has been involved in the Gustave Whitehead plane project for the past 30 years, having flown a replica of the Whitehead plane at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in December 1986, or some 85 years after Whitehead successfully flew his heavier-than-air plane in Fairfield," the release said.

Autographed copies of Brinchman’s  "Gustave Whitehead; First in Flight" will be available for purchase after the Library talk.

For more information call the library’s Public Relations & Programming Office at 203.385.4162 or visit its website at: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

 

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.