Weather Blog The Potomac Island Where History Took Flight Samuel Pierpont Langley conducted the first successful flight of an unpiloted, engine-driven, heavier-than-air craft from a houseboat near Chopawamsic Island in the Potomac River. Read More… About Author OTW Observer See author's posts Post navigation Previous BBC Weather verdict on date rain will return after scorching heatwaveNext Smoke Blankets the Iberian Peninsula Related Stories Floods Inundate Southern Mozambique Weather Blog Floods Inundate Southern Mozambique January 27, 2026 Finding Freshwater in Great Salt Lake Weather Blog Finding Freshwater in Great Salt Lake January 26, 2026 Winter Grips the Michigan Mitten Weather Blog Winter Grips the Michigan Mitten January 23, 2026