They didn’t drink. They didn’t smoke. They didn’t chase women. They didn’t cuss. They didn’t brag or like to talk about themselves. They didn’t wear a big watch. How could they possibly be fighter pilots. What they did do was never give up and they were, without a doubt, geniuses. Two typical fighter pilot traits, so maybe they were.
I read a kickass book about the Wright brothers last year, The Bishop’s Boys. It’s an amazing, detailed story of how Orville and Wilbur invented the airplane and what happened to them after that phenomenal event. Their initiatives and intelligence was nothing short of brilliant. When they weren’t getting the expected lift out of their wing design they built their own wind tunnel to test wing shapes and constructed their own lift tables. When no American auto maker could provide them with an engine light enough and powerful enough, they built their own. Amazingly, they paid for it all with their own money which, even more incredibly, cost them just $1000.
Because flying has been such a major part of my life for over three decades I had to get out to see where the Wright brothers first made powered flight a reality. So, two weeks ago, my wife and I flew out to the east coast and then drove to Kitty Hawk. It was a kickass trip. It was so informative my wife came away understanding lift vs. drag and that’s someone who has a problem with left or right and north or south.
Kitty Hawk doesn’t look like it did over a hundred years ago but for me it was awe inspiring to stand where that very first flight started its takeoff and then walk the 120 feet to where the first powered flight landed. They flew four times that day, the last over 800 feet and you can see where it happened. You can stand at the top of Kill Devils Hill where the brothers tested and flew their gliders which eventually evolved into the first Wright Flyer. The display facilities are OK, somewhat quaint, but the overall experience of being there, where it all started, for was me was kickass inspiring.
Yeah, Kitty Hawk is a bit out of the way, and that’s why the Wright brothers went there, but if you’re anywhere close, it’s well worth your time to make the trip.
Oh yeah, were the Wright brothers fighter pilots? Yeah, they were but probably the fighter pilot nerd category, and thank goodness they were.
You know when it came to being a kickass wingman, Orville and Wilbur really took care of each other. Once they became world famous they had chicks chasing all over the place. Since neither one of them ever married, it's pretty obvious that they did a good job stiff arming the fortune seekers, charlatans and all sorts of floosies.
Without a doubt, if Orville and Wilbur were still around they'd be doing their shopping at the FU Store and they'd be wearing one of our newest designs. You can get it in the Kickass Fighter Pilot Stuff section of the FU Store.
When in Memphis the next time I recommend that you take the time for a few amber nectars or your favorite highball at the Bardog. This place is located on Monroe Avenue in downtown Memphis just one block over from Union Avenue. The place is my kind of joint with the dive look and feel that can trap you into an all-afternoon session of day-drinking or work to your advantage for a late nighter with the bros. The food there is awesome and the bartenders will poor you a great drink. For those of you that are wine drinkers, they have an ever-changing wine list as well. You will fit in with any dress; the clientele range from reprobates, like me in jeans, to suits and ties. That pretty much sums it up; when a bar attracts everyone it is usually kickass!
They also have a cool advertisement on their website; it says: “Sit. Stay. Drink… Good Boy”. That is double kickass clever! Their site is www.bardog.com and it’s really easy to navigate. This place took care of some of my friends during a recent medical emergency that had a bro held up in a downtown hospital. The Bardog went over the top to take care of the family with copious amounts of wine and food. 
