Which key idea is central to both "Into the Air" and "The Wright Brothers"?

The key idea central to both 'Into the Air' and 'The Wright Brothers' is the innovation and development of controlled powered flight by the Wright brothers, who used their technical experience and scientific methods to achieve this historical milestone.

Explanation:

The key idea central to both 'Into the Air' and 'The Wright Brothers' is the innovation and development of controlled powered flight. Neither Orville nor Wilbur Wright had formal engineering or science education, yet they utilized the scientific method to create the control structures that propelled their success in aviation. Their work began in 1900 with glider experiments at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and by 1903 they had refined their designs to successfully achieve controlled, powered flight. The Wright brothers were pioneers, understanding the importance of controlled maneuverability, and it was their unique system of ropes and pulleys that connected the rudder to twisting wing tips allowing for this control, which became the central focus of their patent claims. Their struggle and subsequent achievements occurred in a time of significant scientific advancement and added to humanity's understanding of the world, mirroring advances by Marie Curie, Sigmund Freud, and Albert Einstein.