December 17 a time for reflection of the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight*

*The competing claims: A nice diversion from work this afternoon yielded the following: (thanks Wikipedia)

Clément Ader: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cl%C3%A9ment_Ader
Gustave Albin Whitehead: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Whitehead
Richard William Pearse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Pearse
Karl Jatho: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Jatho