Charles M. (Charles Matthews) Manly

Born in Staunton, Virginia, Charles Matthews Manly was an American engineer and flight pioneer whose career was closely tied to the earliest experiments in powered aviation. He studied engineering at Cornell University, and soon after was recruited to work with Smithsonian Secretary Samuel Pierpont Langley on the Great Aerodrome, an ambitious attempt to build a manned flying machine.

Manly became especially noted for his work on the lightweight radial engine used in the Aerodrome program. That engine, often called the Manly-Balzer, was an important technical achievement for its time and helped establish his reputation as an inventive mechanical engineer. He also personally took part in the project’s dramatic launch trials in 1903, serving as the pilot during the failed attempts on the Potomac River.

Although Langley’s aircraft did not succeed in flight, Manly remained respected for his engineering skill and later contributions to aeronautics. He is remembered today as one of the capable, determined figures who worked just before aviation fully came into its own.