The trio arrives on the coast and Galen gathers some berries. As he does, he sees a glider pass over head and calls to Alan and Pete. Galen mistakes it for a flying reptile, and is astonished when they point out that a human is flying the glider. Two gorillas ride up and the trio quickly hides. The gorillas are focused on the glider as it crashes behind a hill, and Galen figures that the gorillas will kill the human if they don't get there first.
Alan finds the pilot, Leuric, hung up in a tree. He says that he's fine but underestimated the winds on the cliffs. The humans lead him off while the gorillas come over and secure the glider
The trio follows Leuric to his workshop, and Leuric insists that his glider will work. They warn that he'll kill himself, but Leuric says that he's the first to fly. Alan warns that a glider is a dead end and tells him to put his inventiveness into something that could be useful for him. Leuric insists that he'll fly and figures that they're trying to steal his idea. Pete warns that if they got him into the air then he'd be a target for the gorillas, but Leuric doesn't care. Galen asks him how long he thinks it will be until the gorillas find him, and Pete suggests that he move somewhere further to town. When Leuric admits that there's an area the apes avoid, the astronauts agree to help him move. Galen notices a piece of glass that Leuric found on the beach after lightning struck and Pete offers to polish it.
The gorillas take the glider to Central City and present it to the Council. Urko insists that his troopers saw it, but Zaius figures that it's nothing more than a toy. The Council agrees to kill the human responsible, but a chimpanzee scientist, Carsia, suggests that the human idea might serve them. She says that their ancestors knew how to fly according to the old books, and Urko points out that a human with such a book would automatically be executed. The gorilla soldier doesn't see the point of a toy, and Carsia wonders why their ancestors would have engaged in it if it was worthless.
The astronauts take Leuric's equipment to his new workshop at an abandoned fort. As Pete works on the glass, making a magnifying glass, Galen runs up and says that the gorillas captured Leuric. They're surprised that they didn't kill Leuric right away, and Galen figures that they're going to make an example of him with a public execution.
Carsia arrives in the nearby town and meets with the local commander, Konag. Her human servant brings her equipment in, and Carsia explains that she'll be there for a while. When Konag points out that the Council only gave her a short time and they have no guest quarters, she says that she doesn't know how long it will be and Konag's quarters will be sufficient. Carsia takes a seat at Konag's desk, much to his disgust.
Later, Carsia has a trooper take her to Leuric. A soldier is beating Leuric and Carsia dismisses him, and then apologizes to Leuric. She figures that he's an unusual human and tells the gorilla guard to bring Leuric food and stop beating him.
Pete enters town and approaches Carsia's carriage. He talks to the driver, who explains that Carsia is an important ape.
Carsia questions Leuric, and says that she wants to help him. He admits that he knows the secret of flying, and says that he has flown… almost. Leuric boasts that if he gets out then he can fly.
Galen talks to Konag's lieutenant, who denies knowing anything about flying reptiles. Konag is out on inspection, and the gorilla says that Carsia is visiting from Central City.
Carsia sets Leuric up in a workshop with ancient tools, and he demonstrates some of them for her. She then returns to the office and meets with Galen. He claims that he's on an archaeological expedition and turns on the charm, and asks about the glider. Carsia says that they'll know in five days if Leuric can fly, and invites Galen to stay for the experiment.
Later, Galen meets with Pete and Alan. He figures that Carsia would want to protect Leuric, and the astronauts that Galen has a thing for her. The astronauts figure that they'll have to make a functional glider so that Leuric can successfully fly.
Over the next five days, the trio works at the fort making a glider based on the astronauts' knowledge. They make glue out of tree sap and flour, and Galen ends up with his fingers stuck together. Once they have the glider made, Galen looks down the cliff to the ocean below and realize that they intend to have him take off on a test flight. Pete points out that if either one of them go up and an ape spots them, he'll shoot. They soon get Galen into the glider and shove him off the cliff. He soon enjoys the experience and touches down safely on the beach.
Later, Galen returns to Leuric's workshop and admires Leuric's glider. Leuric says that he'll be flying two days earlier than planned, and Carsia offers to show Galen a book. He hangs back and warns Leuric that his glider won't fly, but they've built one that will. Pete and Alan are disassembling it and smuggling it in. Leuric insists that he'll fly with his own glider, and Galen tells him that he has to stall for two days so they can deliver the glider. When Carsia comes back, Leuric assures her that he'll fly the next day.
That night at the fort, Alan says that they should focus on stopping a glider that won't fly.
The next morning, Galen and Carsia visit Leuric, who says that he's ready. Galen takes out the magnifying glass that Pete made from the glass, calling it an "expander." He puts it on a post in a beam of light and then takes Leuric and Carsia over to show them two boards and explain how the expander could be used. Meanwhile, the sunlight focused through the expander sets the glider wing on fire, Leuric sees the flames and yells for help, and he and a guard put the fire out. The glider is destroyed, and Carsia works out the expander's effect. Galen gives her the credit for making the discovery, and Carsia tells Leuric to start again. Feigning regret, Galen offers to have two of his servants come in with the materials to reassemble the glider. Carsia soon agrees.
Pete and Alan brings the disassembled glider to town. A gorilla escorts them to the workshop, and Leuric realizes that Galen deliberately burnt the wings. He doesn't believe that they're trying to help him, but finally accepts their assistance as long as he can get up just once.
Galen is reading Carsia's treatise on the superiority of chimpanzees over orangutans and gorillas. She points out that the chimpanzees don’t hold positions of authority. Konag comes in and says that he told Urko about the delay, and Urko has authorized him to execute Leuric if the test is delayed more than a day. Once Konag leaves, Carsia says that there will be no problems. Pete and Alan come in to report to Galen that everything is ready, and they notice a crate filled with explosives.
The astronauts ask to talk to Galen privately, but he'd rather spend time with Carsia. Pete finally says that they wrecked the cart and want to show him, but Galen tells them to go. He goes after them to "teach them some manners," and they tell him that Carsia has fragmentation bombs. The astronauts wonder why Carsia has military ordinance.
Galen goes back in and asks what the crate is. She says that it's the answer to her questions about the chimpanzees ruling the apes, and notes that Leuric means nothing to her. However, if he can teach them to fly then they can get close to the Council chambers and Urko's headquarters, and eliminate them all. Carsia says that there are bombs in the box and using them, they can control the planet.
Pete and Alan go to Leuric's workshop and try to get him out. He doesn't care that Carsia is using him, and they struggle as Galen arrives and warns that the guards are coming. Pete attacks the gorilla while Alan tries to destroy the glider. After Peter knocks down his opponent, Galen grabs him over the ahead. More gorillas arrive and the astronauts manage to take them out. However, Galen and Leuric fall behind and a gorilla shoots Leuric in the hand. Pete and Alan are forced to abandon the others, and Carsia comes out. Furious, she realizes that he chose a human over her. She has the guards take them away.
Later, Carsia tells Konag that the flight will proceed as scheduled. Konag plans to have the prisoners shot beforehand, and refuses to let one of his troopers take Leuric's place.
In the cell, Galen bandages Leuric's hand and the human warns that even if he gets out he can't fly the glider. Pete and Alan pull a cart up outside and use a slingshot to shoot in a note. Galen reads it and then eats it as a gorilla comes in to investigate.
The gorillas take the glider out to the testing spot on the cliff. Konag has his men take up position so that they can open fire if Leuric tries to fly off. Another guard brings Leuric forward and Konag points out his troopers ready to shoot him. Galen points out that Leuric can't fly with one hand, and loudly demands a proper execution. Konag picks up on the idea as intended, and Carsia confirms that the winds will support two passengers on the glider.
Pete and Alan knock out a guard with a thrown rock and go down to the beach.
Galen and Leuric take off and fight for control in the strong wind. They fly out to sea and Konag's men open fire. The glider goes down into the ocean, and Konag and Carsia assume that they'll drown. Carsia figures that the secret of flight died with them and the apes head into town. Meanwhile, Pete and Alan bring out a hidden raft and rescue their friends, and Leuric eagerly boasts about his triumph. Galen gets seasick, much to his friends' amusement, and they go ashore once the apes leave.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 13, 2016