Richard Pearse

About

Aviation pioneer who built one of the earliest, heavier-than-air flying machines.

Before Fame

His early attempts at flying were hindered by engines that were too weak to effect anything more than a hopping motion.

Trivia

His first airplane is rumored to have become airborne weeks before the Wright Brothers took their famous flight.

Family Life

He grew up in Temuka, New Zealand.

Associated With

The Peter Jackson-produced mockumentary, "Claimed," dealt with the rivalry between Pearse and the Wright Brothers.