The Wright brothers

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright were American aviation pioneers widely credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's the first successful motor-powered airplane. On December 17, 1903, they made the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft with the Wright Flyer, 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at what is now known as Kill Devil Hills. The brothers were also the first to develop aircraft controls, which enabled fixed-wing powered flight.

With the Wright Flyer II, the Wright brothers developed their flying machine to make longer-running and more aerodynamic flights in 1904-1905, followed by the Wright Flyer III, the first truly practical fixed-wing aircraft. The brothers' breakthrough was the development of a three-axis control system, which allowed the pilot to effectively steer the aircraft while maintaining its equilibrium. This method is still used on all fixed-wing aircraft. Wilbur and Orville focused their early aeronautical efforts on developing a dependable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem." This approach was markedly different from that of other experimenters at the time, who were more concerned with developing powerful engines. The Wrights also collected more accurate data than anyone before using a small home-built wind tunnel, allowing them to design more efficient wings and propellers. Their first US patent did not claim the invention of the flying machine, but rather a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated the surfaces of the flying machine.

Working for years in their Dayton, Ohio-based shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery, the brothers honed the mechanical skills necessary for their success. From 1900 until their first powered flight in late 1903, the brothers conducted extensive glider tests that honed their piloting abilities. Charles Taylor, their shop mechanic, became an important member of the team, working closely with the brothers to build their first airplane engine.

Various parties have challenged the Wright brothers' status as the inventors of the airplane. There is still much debate about the many competing claims of early aviators. According to Edward Roach, historian for the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, they were excellent self-taught engineers capable of running a small business, but they lacked the business skills and temperament to dominate the growing aviation industry.

Orville Wright

Born: August 19, 1871 (Dayton, Ohio)
Died: January 30, 1948 (Dayton, Ohio)

Wilbur Wright
Born: April 16, 1867 (Millville, Indiana)
Died: May 30, 1912 (Dayton, Ohio)