Yes, Mr. Martin is right (CHN Oct. 28), the Wright Brothers' invention wasn't known to the public until 1908.Its an interesting fact, but the column about a new book from a North Carolina author on the subject makes it seem like this is new information. As someone who grew up a few miles from the Wright Brothers' home, this is of course a well-known fact, and makes me wonder again why North Carolina has picked the work of a couple of Ohio brothers as the main public achievement of this fine state.

First in Flight is trumpeted as the license plate motto, and as mottos go it is a fine one. The only problem is the airplane was invented, designed and built in Ohio by Ohioans; the Wright brothers not only weren't North Carolina residents, but they spent very little time in the state, just enough to do some test flights before heading home to continue work on the plane.

Certainly the steady wind, sand, flies, and chiggers uniquely came together as a perfect location for the remote and secret test flights, but that is hardly representative of any of the many fine qualities of the residents of North Carolina.

Michael Czeiszperger

Chapel Hill