You have a really poor grasp of scientific history.  The Smithsonian Institution was trying to be the first to fly an aeroplane (by Langley) in competition with the Wright brothers, so obviously they were convinced that heavier than air flight was possible.  But the history of manned gliders (e.g. Otto Lilienthal) predated all this, and showed that it was possible.  Pretty funny, you standing in as Wisdom to clue us all in as to what was known when, and you don't even know what happened.