Why do you think Orville wright is writing down times distance and engine turns?

Answer 1

At just 12 o'clock Will started on the fourth and last trip. The machine started off withe, but by the time he had gone over three or four hundred feet he had it under much better control, and was traveling on a fairly even course. It proceeded in this manner till it reached a small hummock out about 800 feet from the starting ways, when it began pitching again and suddenly darted into the ground. The front rudder frame was badly broe engine turns was 1071. . . . The machine left the ways successfully at every trial, and the tail was never caught up by the truck as we had feared. After removing the rudder, we carried the machine back to camp.
-December 17, 1903