Charles M. (Charles Matthews) Manly

Born in 1876, Charles Matthews Manly was an American engineer and inventor whose name is closely tied to the earliest attempts at powered flight. He worked with Samuel Pierpont Langley on the Aerodrome project and became known for designing and building the Manly-Balzer engine, a lightweight radial engine that drew attention for its power at a time when every pound mattered.

Manly did more than work in the shop: he also personally rode in Langley’s experimental aircraft during the Potomac River trials in 1903. Those launches failed, but his willingness to test dangerous machines himself made him a memorable figure in early aviation history. Even though the Aerodrome never achieved a successful sustained flight, the engine and engineering behind it were important steps in the broader story of flight.

Later in life, Manly worked in automobile engineering and continued as an inventor. He died in 1927, and his reputation has endured mainly through his contributions to pioneering engine design and the bold, experimental spirit of aviation’s earliest years.