At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, two brothers from Ohio flew the first successful airplane for 12 seconds and 120 feet along a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
At
10:35
a.m.
on
December
17
,
1903
,
two
brothers
from
Ohio
flew
the
first
successful
airplane
for
12
seconds
and
120
feet
along
a
beach
in
Kitty
Hawk
,
North
Carolina
.
With Orville flying first, the brothers took turns as pilot, and they flew three more times that day.
With
Orville
flying
first
,
the
brothers
took
turns
as
pilot
,
and
they
flew
three
more
times
that
day
.
On their fourth try, they managed to go 852 feet in 59 seconds---- an amazing feat at the time.
On
their
fourth
try
,
they
managed
to
go
852
feet
in
59
seconds
--
--
an
amazing
feat
at
the
time
.
The two brothers had invented powered flight.
The
two
brothers
had
invented
powered
flight
.
Orville and Wilbur Wright owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio.
Orville
and
Wilbur
Wright
owned
a
bicycle
shop
in
Dayton
,
Ohio
.
Although they had not gone to school to learn about airplanes or engineering, they were good mechanics.
Although
they
had
not
gone
to
school
to
learn
about
airplanes
or
engineering
,
they
were
good
mechanics
.
By repairing bicycles, they had learned how gears and pulleys worked.
By
repairing
bicycles
,
they
had
learned
how
gears
and
pulleys
worked
.
They also learned to take careful notes about what they saw.
They
also
learned
to
take
careful
notes
about
what
they
saw
.
Each time they made a new design and tested a machine, they took notes and made drawings.
Each
time
they
made
a
new
design
and
tested
a
machine
,
they
took
notes
and
made
drawings
.
They would study these to figure out what they could do better the next time.
They
would
study
these
to
figure
out
what
they
could
do
better
the
next
time
.
Before the Wright brothers flew, they did many things to prepare for this extraordinary achievement.
Before
the
Wright
brothers
flew
,
they
did
many
things
to
prepare
for
this
extraordinary
achievement
.
They read everything they could find about air, balloons, and kites.
They
read
everything
they
could
find
about
air
,
balloons
,
and
kites
.
Then they made careful sketches of what they wanted to build.
Then
they
made
careful
sketches
of
what
they
wanted
to
build
.
They began by making model kites to learn how air flowed over wings.
They
began
by
making
model
kites
to
learn
how
air
flowed
over
wings
.
They made them bigger and bigger until they had a glider--a kite that is big enough to hold a person, but with no engine.
They
made
them
bigger
and
bigger
until
they
had
a
glider
--
a
kite
that
is
big
enough
to
hold
a
person
,
but
with
no
engine
.
The Wright brothers made three gliders before building their first airplane.
The
Wright
brothers
made
three
gliders
before
building
their
first
airplane
.
Each time they made a glider, they would test it, make careful observations, and then improve their design.
Each
time
they
made
a
glider
,
they
would
test
it
,
make
careful
observations
,
and
then
improve
their
design
.
When they made a glider that flew well, they added an engine.
When
they
made
a
glider
that
flew
well
,
they
added
an
engine
.
This step was harder than it sounds, because they had to find an engine that was both light-weight and powerful.
This
step
was
harder
than
it
sounds
,
because
they
had
to
find
an
engine
that
was
both
light-weight
and
powerful
.
The engines that they could buy were either too heavy or too weak, so they asked their friend Charlie Taylor to help them build one.
The
engines
that
they
could
buy
were
either
too
heavy
or
too
weak
,
so
they
asked
their
friend
Charlie
Taylor
to
help
them
build
one
.
The first engine that Charlie built broke almost immediately, but the second one worked well.
The
first
engine
that
Charlie
built
broke
almost
immediately
,
but
the
second
one
worked
well
.
After Orville and Wilbur installed the engine in their plane, they were almost ready.
After
Orville
and
Wilbur
installed
the
engine
in
their
plane
,
they
were
almost
ready
.
They simply had to wait for the perfect day with just the fight amount of wind.
They
simply
had
to
wait
for
the
perfect
day
with
just
the
fight
amount
of
wind
.
On the morning of December 17, 1903, they had their chance.
On
the
morning
of
December
17
,
1903
,
they
had
their
chance
.
And the airplane flew into history.
And
the
airplane
flew
into
history
.
At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, two brothers from Ohio flew the first successful airplane for 12 seconds and 120 feet along a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. With Orville flying first, the brothers took turns as pilot, and they flew three more times that day. On their fourth try, they managed to go 852 feet in 59 seconds---- an amazing feat at the time. The two brothers had invented powered flight.  Orville and Wilbur Wright owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. Although they had not gone to school to learn about airplanes or engineering, they were good mechanics. By repairing bicycles, they had learned how gears and pulleys worked. They also learned to take careful notes about what they saw. Each time they made a new design and tested a machine, they took notes and made drawings. They would study these to figure out what they could do better the next time.  Before the Wright brothers flew, they did many things to prepare for this extraordinary achievement. They read everything they could find about air, balloons, and kites. Then they made careful sketches of what they wanted to build. They began by making model kites to learn how air flowed over wings. They made them bigger and bigger until they had a glider--a kite that is big enough to hold a person, but with no engine. The Wright brothers made three gliders before building their first airplane. Each time they made a glider, they would test it, make careful observations, and then improve their design.  When they made a glider that flew well, they added an engine. This step was harder than it sounds, because they had to find an engine that was both light-weight and powerful. The engines that they could buy were either too heavy or too weak, so they asked their friend Charlie Taylor to help them build one. The first engine that Charlie built broke almost immediately, but the second one worked well.  After Orville and Wilbur installed the engine in their plane, they were almost ready. They simply had to wait for the perfect day with just the fight amount of wind. On the morning of December 17, 1903, they had their chance. And the airplane flew into history.