A Newsroom daily quiz on Wednesday, August 12th, spotlighted Richard Pearse, a New Zealand pioneer aviator. Pearse famously conducted early flight experiments at Waitohi. His aircraft, a monoplane, was remarkably constructed from readily available materials – bamboo, canvas, and a currently unspecified metal. The quiz question centers around identifying that crucial metallic component of Pearse’s innovative design. Pearse’s work predates the Wright brothers' well-known first flight, though his achievements were not widely recognized internationally at the time. The quiz serves as a brief historical reminder of Pearse’s contribution to aviation history.