Indeed,whilsttheChineseallegedlystrappedprisonersontokitesinthesixthcentury,andElmerofMalmesburywasrecordedashavingglidedformorethananeighthofamilebeforecrashingandbreakingbothhislegs,itwasnotuntilthestartofthe1900sthatscientificattemptsaremadetogetamanoffthegroundunderhisownsteam.Thesebicycles-on-wheelsmightseemcomicaltotoday'saeronauts,butin1912theyaregoodenoughtohelpGabrielPoulainscoopaprizeof10,000francs,havingallegedlyflownhiscontraptionmorethanametreoffthegroundfordistanceof10metres.