Dan Wright's WrightFlyer 101 - N777XT
Reno Sport Class racer #7

One hundred and one years after the original Wright Flyer - (Wright Flyer 101)

A perfect day at Reno - Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS), June 18 2005

Photo by Scott Germain - WarbirdAeroPress.com

Some exiting key dates:

5th place gold class Reno Air Races Sept 2006

First flight after rebuilding , on August 10, 2006

After 25 successful test hours , on May 14, 2005

First gear retraction flight on May 8, 2005

First flight on May 3, 2005

Wright Flyer evolution in 101 years

Topgun taxi driver in his yellow cab

Dan Wright of Santa Barbara, CA has raced his IO-540 SX300 every year (five years in all) since Sport Class racing began in 1998. He was the first to complete his SX300, flying it in the Spring of 1988.

Dan begin flying when he was just 17 in a 65 HP Aeronca tail-dragger. Continually active in flying, by the 1980s he was flying competition aerobatics in his Pitts Special earning him numerous awards including 1st place in the California Point series and 2nd place in the USA nationals Sportsman class. He also flys his own R22 helicopter throughout the Western USA including Canada and Alaska with a landing on the Mt. McKinley glacier base camp at an elevation of 7,300 ft.

In racing, he won 1st place in the Sun and Fun 100 in 1998 with an average speed of 292 m.p.h. from a standing start. In 2000 he won 1st place Silver and in 2003 he took 4th place Gold at Reno being the fastest Lycoming-powered aircraft.

Dan has started and finished 17 races, qualified five times, and has attended three racing seminars. He has built the Wright Flyer 101 and was the first customer to take delivery of this exciting new design. He is sponsored by Direct To Avionics, Advantage Avionics, Performance Engines, and Aero Visions International, with always room for more. Dan says he would never race without his loyal and competent crew chief, George Kirstner.

When not flying and racing, Dan enjoys building.

Dan Wright's dream to become true is a milestone closer!

Dan's loyal team shares his excitement!

'that is about the coolest thing I have ever seen…awesome job…but that is what I would expect from u' Quote by David King, owner of Lancair IV P built by Jurg Sommerauer in 2001

Other Quotes:

From: Bryson Randolph [mailto:brysonrandolph@mindspring.com]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 8:23 AM
To: 'Dan Wright'
Subject: RE: Up date on dan wrights nxt

Dan that was a real impressive set of photos. It really is a great
looking plane. You should be real proud. Thanks for sharing it . Be
careful best regards Bryson

Bryson Randolph
5855 Ridgebend RD
Memphis TN 38120

From: Bea Rempe [mailto:wingbea@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 4:01 AM
To: Dan Wright
Dan,
This is truly an awesome aircraft!! Takes my breath away, and that's just the pictures. You and the guys have really done an excellent job. I am posting the URL on the SX300 web site now.

Congratulations,

Bea Rempe

From: Fritz Heer <frihe@hispeed.ch>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:18:13 +0100
To: "'Dr. Jurg Sommerauer'" <j.sommerauer@aerovisions.ch>
Subject: AW: http://www.aerovisions.com builder assistance updated

He Juerg

Congrats – an other beauty from you !!!!!

Fritz

From: Peter Stiles [mailto:peter@d2av.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 7:05 PM
To: danothe1@cox.net
Subject: RE: Up date on dan wrights nxt

-Dan

Very impressive. We are very proud to be involved in such a great airplane
and such great people. We are looking forward to final installation
verification and first flight.

Take care.

Peter Stiles
Vice President
Direct-To Avionics

From: Klaus Savier <klaus@lightspeedengineering.com>
Organization: Light Speed Engineering
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 10:40:00 -0800
To: "Dr. Jurg Sommerauer" <j.sommerauer@aerovisions.ch>
Subject: Re: http://www.aerovisions.com builder assistance updatedHey Doc,

Another job well done! We should keep you here!
Klaus.

From: <PTACKABURY@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2005 13:18:30 EST
To: <j.sommerauer@aerovisions.ch>
Subject: Re: http://www.aerovisions.com Nemesis NXT builder assistance updated
Jurg: Hey great job--and thanks for the pictures. Yes I have visited your wonderful web site and have enjoyed all the pix of this superb plane. Thanks again for all the updates; keep it up please, I really enjoy looking and learning. When is first flight, and who is going to fly it?
paul

From: Lwsweetser@cs.com [mailto:Lwsweetser@cs.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 8:55 AM
To: danothe1@cox.net
Subject: Re: Up date on dan wrights nxt

Dan,
MAGNIFICENT! WOW! SHOW STOPPER! JAW DROPPER! SEX WITH WINGS!
D CUP WITH A 24" WAIST

Larry

From: Wayne Siemens [mailto:wsiemens@santabarbaracapital.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 2:10 PM
To: 'Dan Wright'
Subject: RE: nxt

There are lots of more expensive toys to be acquired in the world today
but NONE COMES CLOSE to the Nxt!! Too bad there aren't more fly-in bars
and restaurants around the world so more people can take a peek at the
ULTIMATE toy!!

From: Larry Barels [mailto:larry.barels@gte.net]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 10:47 AM
To: Dan Wright
Subject: Re: nxt

Wooooooooaahh.......................

Dude! That's about the baddest looking plane I've ever seen! Let's fly
over in my Citation and give it a ride. As usual.........you da man!

Larry

From: Kirk Hammersmith [mailto:kirk@mail.d2av.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 7:15 PM
To: Dan Wright
Subject: RE: Up date on dan wrights nxt

Whoya! Wow!!! Breathtaking Dan!

Kirk

From: Scotty G [mailto:WarbirdAeroPress@cox.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 12:01 AM
To: danothe1@cox.net
Subject: Your Nemesis
Dan,
Wow, quick response from you guys! Thanks. Hopefully you remember meeting me at Reno last year. I'm going to be a rookie in the Sport class this year, so I'll try and stay out of the way.

Ok, first off - SUPER job on your new racer! Can't wait to be passed by it like I'm going backwards! You must be very proud!

Thanks, Dan. Take care!

Scotty G
Dago Red Unlimited Air Race Team - www.DagoRed-AirRacing.com <http://www.DagoRed-AirRacing.com>
Unleashed Sport Class Air Race Team - www.UnleashedAirRacing.com <http://www.UnleashedAirRacing.com>
www.WarbirdAeroPress.com

From: william marcum [mailto:vanspilot@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 4:24 PM
To: danothe1@cox.net
Subject: RE: Nemesis Nxt

Dan: I think the NXT of yours looks spectacular. WOW The paint scheme is
perfect. It really looks good sitting there ready to go.Let me know how the
test flights go.Good to hear from you.Take care and take no chances on the
test period.. Good luck Bill Marcum RV-6A N237B

Sequence of photos of various building stages under Gallery WrightFlyer 101

Early work stage of assembling this most advanced kit on the market

Early work stage of assembling this most advanced kit on the market

Plain fun! Joggling with money ....

Dan is now even playing with the almost virtual stuff ...

Dan lost and found ... almost like a part of a mockup

getting closer to look like a speedy bird ...

wing closing and it's the skunkwork team

sexy lines ....beauty equals speed ?????

great looking smooth canopy ...

is this strong enough? poor me! - Dan the smooth operator

No spoilers! - flap deployed (wing upside down of course)

Tedious wing fuselage mating procedure ...

first unsuccessfull attempt to fly .... hmmm what's wrong?

... under the Mojave blue sky . Getting the sanding dust off in the breeze ...

the looks of an airplane ....

with engine and prop ..

just the spinner is missing ...

These happy fellows barely fit ...

take a bite ...

engine hanging where it belongs ..... and more installations done - even a real plenum!

inlet scoops outside and inside ... lots of detail work!

Everybody wants to have a BIIIIG nose!

last minute preps for priming ..... and the near perfect result. Thanks for the gray whale Mike, great job!

and we got a gear - you know the tiny little wheel trailing happily way back

identifying & crimping 146 wires with help of Powerbook G4

wire harnesses ready for plug & play with instrument panel ..

wiring firewall forward LH complete ...

wiring firewall forward power distribution grid ...

Dan is pulling all his skills as carpenter for jacking-up his Wright Flyer 101 using left-overs from his house project

gear leg assembled and ready for installation

gear door and uplock machanism test-assembled

gear down and locked - almost...

gear legs with side braces installed ...

behind the instrument panel

Helping hands of Mark I and Mark II of Advantage Avionics making sense of some spaghettis

... and here it is - waiting to be fired up. Great panel job by Advantage Avionics!

... and the x-mas tree miraculously lights up!

wow... just sitting at the controls and watch the light show is rewarding!

plumbing for brake and hydraulic is under way - color coding for easy identification

rudder and brake system for PIC

hectic times ...preparation for the first run completed

... and here we go .. the noise is on! Argus eyes are watching. October 24, 2004

Dan on the controls, George can't get too close to the noise

... a smooth operator under the Mojave early evening skies...

... and a final coat of primer...

Ready for paint

... ready for paint - what will it look like - stay tuned.

... looks like a tight fit - well, it really is!

... unfortunately, holes are needed to make this thing go fast, really fast

exhaust stack turbulators

in the paint booth - but not alone!!!!

expert talk: consulting the paint process and design

Shooting purple .....

what - consulting again?

after purple comes white base ....

and now yellow base color ....

finally the clear coat is on the list of tasks

wow! Painter Mike Fowler's smile is accurately reflected in the wing ...

painted still in paint booth .... but soooo beautiful!

Finally! The bird is painted 1-16-2005

Some great buddies - Dan,George & Jurg

N777XT-painted-reflections

spectacular-toy

XeVision ad on the mirror-like wing ... thanks Dan for this cool real estate!

Almost a perfect wing surface .... even a simple water bottle does the trick!

WrightFlyer101 NXT at paint booth on the Mojave airport

saying good bye to the so important support crew members in Mojave ...

Next the first untethered move on three wheels!

Nice to see Dan happy

Taxying all dressed up - 3-6-05

Looks like the Wright Flyer 101 is ready for takeoff - well ,not quite yet

First anxious moves under supervision of big ol' George and me

.... and off Dan goes looking for prey ...

..... fishtailing and extremely cautious!

Wow! That far Dan? Looks like he is ready to drive to Santa Barbara!

Coming back from a first untethered run-up - so cool! Great job Dan!

Now we are anxious to experience the first airborne moves!

Just hold on .....

First flight successfully accomplished on May 3, 2005

First Gear retraction successfully accomplished on May 8, 2005

The Wright Flyer 101, followed by the Pink Baron for an airborne pick-up

.... and the Wright Flyer 101 on its first flight on May 3, 2005

flying the test program - now with all gear doors mounted

gear going up - except tail wheel still showing a 'green light' ...

After the first flight: The friendship remains strong - Wright Flyer 101, Dan and Jurg ... and by the way: This is in Mojave CA ...

Big weekend April 9, 2005: gear operation

Dan hold on! The main gear just vanished somewhere ....

Well, the main gear is up and locked! Looks so sexy!

uhh, so slick without the draggy main gear ...

Big weekend April 10, 2005: FAA inspection

The FAA designated examiner, DAR Adam Valdez declares N777XT airworthy!!!!

First flight successfully accomplished on May 3, 2005

ok, then Dan was flying, and flying, until a small mishap ....

with necessity of rebuilding the WrightFlyer101 ... just see below: