In July 1896, Octave Chanute conducted famous glider experiments on the dune toward which he is pointing, and those experiments had a dramatic impact on the history of aviation. The publicity generated by the experiments prompted the Wright Brothers to contact him, and he became their mentor and advisor. After their successful flight at Kitty Hawk on December 17th, 1903, he was the first person the Wright Brother contacted. Octave Chanute is said to be the grandfather of flight.