Long before the Wright brothers became synonymous with human flight, there was a visionary whose dreams of the sky remain unsung in popular history. Charles F. Page, an inventor from a humble background, was captivated by the idea of soaring above the clouds. The son of a carpenter, Page grew up in an America pulsing with the beat of the Industrial Revolution, a time ripe for innovation and bold thinkers.

While the Wright brothers are lauded for their historic flight in 1903, Page’s conceptual groundwork was laid decades earlier, as he meticulously crafted designs for a flying machine. Unlike the Wrights, who were bicycle makers by trade, Page was a dreamer by nature. His family, supportive yet grounded, watched as he sketched designs that seemed as fanciful as they were revolutionary. Despite the skepticism he faced, Page persisted, driven by a belief that human flight would one day transcend fiction and enter the realm of reality.

Page successfully secured a patent for his ‘flying machine’ in 1904, having invented it three years before the Wright Brothers patent was secured. 

EDIT: It was identified by T. Terry that our details on Mr. Page's patent were not correct.  Thank you for letting us know.  CORRECTION: Mr. Page filed his patent application on April 4, 1903 and it was granted on April 10, 1906.  

 Page planned to introduce his ‘airplane’ at the 1904 World Fair in St Louis. He paid for space to have his patent on exhibit at the World Fair, but unfortunately, his ‘airplane’ never made it to St. Louis!  His daughter, Eva Page, publicly claimed that her father’s invention was stolen in transit to St Louis.  She went on the record to state that her father never attempted to create a replacement and offered insight into where his inspiration came from, the mosquito hawk.

Charles F. Page's legacy is not just in the patents he filed or the drawings he left behind; it is woven into the very fabric of aeronautical history. He was a man ahead of his time, a pioneer who dared to conceive of a world where humans could glide alongside birds. His inventions laid the foundation for the aeronautic breakthroughs that would follow, making him as much a part of the history of flight as the Wright brothers themselves.

Yet, Page’s contributions extend beyond his aeronautical designs. His life’s work stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of innovation—a spirit that continues to influence new generations of thinkers and creators. He deserves to be remembered not just as a footnote in history, but as a historic pioneer whose foresight paved the runway for the Wright brothers and all who took to the skies thereafter.

In the spirit of Charles F. Page's unwavering determination and innovative prowess, we at Pivet honor his legacy. Our Self-Cycle™ technology is a clarion call for the future—a future where sustainability is paramount. At Pivet we are committed to creating solutions to the challenges we encounter today.  Pivet aims to leave a positive impact on the planet, like Charles Page’s dreams to fly, we are working to turn our ideas into real life solutions.

We celebrate pioneers like Page not solely for their inventions but for their indelible impact on human progress. As we create products that protect both your devices and our planet, we invite you to join us on this journey. With Pivet, you become part of a legacy of innovation and environmental stewardship—a legacy that began with visionaries like Charles F. Page, who first dreamt of a world aloft, underpinned by the bravery to believe in the unbelievable.