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Fritz Wuehler · Guest

Company memo that Belfort Instruments needs to write but never will

To: Bruce R. Robinson, Nicholas C. Kaufman, Mark W. Decker, Debra

Alascio, Ralph Petragnani, and any other Belfort employees with their

heads up managament's asses

In a move to restore credibility and reputation to the company,

Belfort Instruments is hereby informing all employees (and that

includes all management) that it must halt the further dissemination

of lies like:

1) The Wright Brothers did not use Belfort

or Friez wind sensors at any time for anything.

The Wright Brothers Relied exclusively on a

Richard's Anemometer to record wind speed and

direction. Here is a history documenting the

definitive proof including a picture of Wilbur

Wright actually using Richard's anemometer.

DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU DIFFERENTLY!

THE HISTORY: Octave Chanute responded to

Wilbur's letter on May 12th, 1901. He suggested

that Wilbur specify whether he wanted to use the

English [Robinson, a cup type] or French

anemometer [Richard of Paris, a rotating vane

type] at the appropriate time. [An anemometer is

an instrument used to determine the wind's

speed. The English anemometer is a Robinson

anemometer, a cup type. The French anemometer is

by Richard of Paris and is a rotating vane type.]

WILBUR WRIGHT TO OCTAVE CHANUTE

Dayton, Ohio, May 17, 1901

As to anemometer we are inclined to think that

we would prefer the nonrecording Richard's

instrument as our chief use for it will be

measuring velocities for very brief periods.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1903

An anemometer, or wind gauge, is an instrument

for measuring the force and speed of wind. The

earliest anemometer was invented by Thomas

Romney Robinson (1793 - 1882). This gauge uses

an arrangement of cups on a spindle to detect

the wind and a series of clockwork connections

to translate the speed of the rotating cups to a

wind speed value. Octave Chanute, the Wright's

French colleague, brought them a later

anemometer made by Richard of Paris.

WRITINGS OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS (Final Prep)

We had a "Richard" hand anemometer with which we

measured the velocity of the wind. Measurements

made just before starting the first flight

(December 17, 1903) showed velocities of 11 to

12 meters per second, or 24 to 27 miles per

hour. Measurements made just before the last

flight (December 17, 1903) gave between 9 and 10

meters per second. One made just after showed a

little over 8 meters.

WILBUR WRIGHT WITH RICHARD'S ANEMOMETER (picture)

http://www.exn.ca/FlightDeck/Aviators/wright3.cfm

2) Belfort is not 125 year old weather company.

Belfort claims to have been founded in 1876. Yet,

Julien Friez never made it to Baltimore until at

least 1890 according to:

"Julien Pierre Friez (1852-1916) was born in France

and came to the United States at the age of 15. He

worked with Robert Henning in Ottawa, Illinois on

telegraphy equipment, circa 1868; later he was a

foreman for Ottomar Mergentheler, circa 1880-1890.

After leaving Mergentheler, Friez moved to Baltimore

where he set up Belfort Laboratories and began a

manufacture of scientific instruments. He later

acquired an interest in meteorology and did important

work on the design and manufacture of meteorological

recording instruments."

3) Belfort is not the oldest weather company in the

world. Belfort claims to be "The Oldest Weather Company"

yet the earliest anemometer was invented by Thomas

Romney Robinson (1793 - 1882). Mr. Robinson invented

his anemometer in 1846 before Julian Friez even was

born six years later in 1852. That makes Mr. Robinson

the creator of "The Oldest Weather Company in the World."