Wright Brothers First Flight and What Came After
How a dream turned into a reality
First Take Offs
Flying has been a dream of mankind for thousands of years, dating back to the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. The first design was a sketch of a flying machine by the legendary 15th-century Italian inventor Leonardo da Vinci.
In the 19th century, English engineer Sir George Cayley designed a glider that carried a human being aloft, which you may or may not say was arguably the first “flight” (in a very basic sense of course). True advancement, however, didn’t come until the late 1800s, with the famous Wright brothers.
Of course, the New York Times claimed that idea was crazy and that it would take a “million years” for human beings to be able to fly. And of course, they were wrong. As visionaries through history have done time and time again, and as they will continue to do, the Wright Brothers proved the naysayers wrong.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, they were not formally trained engineers but had curiosity and determination. Inspired by a toy helicopter from their father, they turned their dream into reality. And made history.
On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers achieved the first successful flight. Their flying machine, the Flyer I, lasted 12 seconds, with a wingspan of forty feet and four inches and a twelve-horsepower engine.
First flight, 120 feet, 10:35 am, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Their success was not immediate, as it never is. They spent many years doing research and studying how to make everything work with many fails and errors along the way.
But it was their methodical approach that set them apart from their contemporaries. For example, they built a wind tunnel to test different wing shapes and gather data which would help them design a more controllable aircraft. Of course, they gained valuable experience (and an advantage) through all these experiments.
Replica of the Wright Brothers’ wind tunnel at the Virginia Air and Space Center. The entry of the tunnel was called the ‘goesinta’ by the brothers and the exit was dubbed the ‘goesouta.
After their first aircraft, Flyer I in 1904. The Wright Brothers proceeded to build Flyer II, with a more robust structure and better flight controls making the possible flight time longer. The Wright brothers made more than 80 flights in 1904 – testing their technology and perfecting the approach that would later turn flying into a reality for billions.
In 1905 they built the Flyer III with even better flight controls. With this aircraft they reached 40 successful flights, the longest being 39 minutes and 24 miles. These flights, taking place at Huffman Prairie in Ohio became a big attraction among the public as well as potential investors wanting to see up close the innovation that was flying in the sky.
Flight 85: Orville in flight, covering a distance of approximately 1,760 feet in 40 1/5 seconds; Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio. Source: Library of Congress
To Fly or Not to Fly?
As word of the Wright brothers’ achievements spread, it sparked a global interest in flying. This breakthrough inspired many aviation pioneers worldwide. Ferdinand Ferber in France, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont, and Louis Blériot, who famously flew across the English Channel in 1909, were all motivated by the Wright brothers success.
Despite their many achievements, the Wright brothers faced rejection from the U.S. Army in 1905 due to questions about the practicality of their aircraft. Unimaginable in hindsight, of course, but just goes to show how difficult innovation is when one is set in their ways.
This setback was a bump in the road on their journey but they continued nevertheless. They finally managed to sell their flying machine to the army in 1909. It carried two people, had a flight time of an hour, and reached a speed of 40 miles per hour.
In 1908, they expanded their operations to Europe, signing a contract with a French company. Aviation was becoming a global industry, with the Wright Brothers’ first flight at its heart.
Launching derrick and the Wright Model A Flyer February, 1909 – March, 1909 M. Rol and Company, Paris
The Wrights brothers’ achievements laid the foundation for advancements in aviation technology. They made human flight possible and every aircraft that has ever flown owns at least something to their work. Innovators like Glenn Curtiss who developed the seaplane and Igor Sikorsky who became a pioneer in helicopter design – expanded on their principles, leading to more capable aircrafts. Today, aviation is a critical part of modern life.
Their success inspired many enthusiasts and engineers around the world to develop and experiment their own designs leading to rapid growth of aircraft technology.
Capturing the Skies
In 1909 they formed the Wright Company which was dedicated to manufacturing airplanes. Orville was the company president working with the sales with various buyers including the military until 1915. After stepping down from his position he continued to contribute to flying through advisory roles such as the NACA which later became part of NASA.
Wilbur, left, and Orville Wright sit on the porch steps of their Dayton, Ohio, home in June 1909.
During the years from 1910 to 1916 they operated the first flight school in Montgomery, Alabama, where they trained more than 100 pilots. This showcased once more how they helped lay the foundation for the future of commercial flying as more people wanted to explore the potential of air travel.
Flying rapidly advanced during World War I when aircraft were used for air combat, reconnaissance and bombing. Post war companies like giants Boeing and Douglas were born in this time and contributed to commercial and military advancement (current scandals notwithstanding).
The 1920s and 1930s marked the rise of commercial aviation with the development of early airlines like the Douglas DC-3 which changed passenger travel and showcased the practicality of air mail services.
Government regulations, such as the Air Commerce Act of 1926, established safety standards and previous oversight.
History is Born Out of Bold Visions
The vision and determination of the Wright brothers showed that every journey starts with a single step – or a flight! This is yet another example of what the human mind is capable of achieving when free to think and create value.
It has only been a little over 100 hundred years since the first flight, and look at the advancements made! With innovators and entrepreneurs like the Wright brothers being born in every generation, and standing on the shoulders of the giants before them, isn’t it exciting to see what the future holds?
The original 1903 Wright Flyer in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
