Therefore, some people did not believe Lyman when he told them of his flight. He continued to invent aircraft throughout his life. Lyman Gilmore claimed that he flew his steam powered aircraft in Grass Valley,California, in 1902. He spent the rest of his life trying to prove that he was the first person to fly a powered aircraft. His airplanes and hangers burned to the ground in 1935 so there is little evidence remaining today that could prove he was the first person to fly a manned aircraft.
Many people have different opinions about the date and distance of the flight.