Wright brothers

The Wright brothers, Orville Wright (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur Wright (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were American aviation pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane. They made the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft with the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903, four miles (6 km) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at what is now known as Kill Devil Hills.

Their breakthrough invention was a three-axis control system, which allowed pilots to steer the aircraft and keep it balanced. This system made fixed-wing powered flight possible and is still used on airplanes today. Before their first flight, the Wright brothers focused on finding a reliable way to control the airplane, which was different from many other inventors who concentrated on building powerful engines.

The brothers learned important mechanical skills while working in their shop in Dayton, Ohio, where they built bicycles and other machinery. Their experience with bicycles helped them believe that a flying machine could be controlled with practice. They also tested gliders and worked with a mechanic named Charles Taylor, who helped build their first airplane engine.

Childhood

Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up in a family of seven children. Their father, Milton Wright, was a clergyman, and their mother was Susan Catherine Koerner. Wilbur was born in Millville, Indiana in 1867, and Orville was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1871. They never married.

The Wright brothers were known as "Will" and "Orv" to their friends. Their father moved the family often because of his work, and they lived in twelve different places before settling back in Dayton in 1884. When they were young, their father brought home a small toy helicopter, which sparked their lifelong interest in flying. They enjoyed playing with it and even built their own version after it broke.

Early career and research

Both brothers attended high school but did not graduate. In 1884, their family moved from Richmond, Indiana to Dayton, Ohio, which delayed Wilbur from finishing his diploma. Later, they started a printing business and even launched a newspaper.

The brothers became interested in flying after seeing gliders and reading about aviation. They were inspired by Otto Lilienthal and decided to focus on controlling the airplane rather than just building powerful engines. They developed a new way to control the plane called wing-warping, which helped the pilot steer effectively. This idea came from watching how birds tilt their wings to turn. Their unique approach helped them build the first successful airplane.

Main article: Wright brothers

Flights

The Wright brothers began their journey toward flight with gliding experiments. In 1900, they traveled to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, chosen for its steady winds and soft landing surface. They tested their gliders, learning how to control flight and improve their designs.

Their big breakthrough came in 1902 when they created a glider with better control systems. This allowed them to make smooth turns and stable flights. With this success, they built their first powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, in 1903. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur made history with the first controlled, sustained flights of a powered airplane, marking the beginning of a new era in aviation.

Main article: Wright Glider

European skepticism

In 1906, many people in Europe did not believe the Wright brothers had truly flown their airplane. Newspapers, especially in France, made fun of them and called them "bluffers." Ernest Archdeacon, a leader of the Aéro-Club de France, openly doubted their achievements and claimed that the French would be the first to show powered flight publicly.

However, by 1908, after the Wright brothers demonstrated their airplane flights in France, Archdeacon admitted he had been unfair to them.

Contracts and return to Kitty Hawk

The Wright brothers reached out to governments and businesses to share their flying machine. In 1905, they spoke with the United States Department of War, the British War Office, and a group in France. The U.S. government wanted to see a working plane before moving forward.

In 1907, the brothers traveled to France, where many people were excited about flying. They met with important people and prepared for more flights. The U.S. Army Signal Corps later asked for bids to build a flying machine, and the Wrights won the contract in 1908. They also formed a company in France the same year.

The brothers returned to Kitty Hawk to practice for their flights. They added seats so they could fly with a passenger. Charlie Furnas, a helper from Dayton, became the first person to fly as a passenger in a fixed-wing plane. However, during practice, Wilbur crashed the plane but was not seriously hurt.

Return to glider flights

Later, in 1911, Orville returned to North Carolina to test a new glider. On October 24, he flew for almost 10 minutes, which was a record at the time.

Public showing

The Wright brothers needed to show their airplane could fly well in public to fulfill contracts with the U.S. Army and a group in France. Wilbur went to France, where he began public flights on August 8, 1908, at a horse racing track near Le Mans. His first flight lasted just under two minutes, but his smooth turns amazed onlookers, including other famous airplane pioneers like Louis Blériot. Over the next few days, Wilbur performed more difficult flights, showing how skilled he was and how much better his airplane was than others at the time.

Orville followed with flights for the United States Army at Fort Myer, Virginia. On September 9, 1908, he made a very long flight lasting over an hour. Sadly, during another flight on September 17, a problem with the airplane caused an accident. Orville was injured, but he later recovered and continued to fly. After the accident, Wilbur worked even harder to show off new flying records. The Wright brothers became famous worldwide, and many important people came to see them fly.

Family flights

In 1910, Orville made two special flights. First, he flew with his brother Wilbur as a passenger—the only time the Wright brothers ever flew together. Later that day, Orville took their 82-year-old father, Milton, on a flight. It was the only time their father ever flew in an airplane.

Patent war

See also: Wright brothers patent war

The Wright brothers applied for a patent in 1903, but it was rejected. In 1906, they received a U.S. patent for their method of controlling airplanes, which included techniques like wing-warping and using a rudder to turn safely.

Soon after, other inventors like Glenn Curtiss created a new way to control airplanes called ailerons. The Wrights believed this broke their patent and sued Curtiss. This led to many years of legal battles. The Wrights won some cases, but the lawsuits took up much of their time and energy. Eventually, the U.S. government helped create a way for airplane companies to share patent fees, ending most of the fighting. Despite the trouble, the Wrights' ideas helped shape the future of airplane design.

In business

The Wright Company was created on November 22, 1909, when the Wright brothers sold their patents for $100,000 and received shares in the company. They set up a factory in Dayton and a flying school at Huffman Prairie, with their headquarters in New York City.

In 1910, the Wrights changed their airplane design by moving the elevator to the back and adding wheels, making the plane easier to control at higher speeds. They also formed the Wright Exhibition Team to showcase their airplanes at events. The company made its first commercial delivery in November 1910, flying silk from Dayton to Columbus. Between 1910 and 1916, their flying school trained many pilots, including future famous figures like Henry "Hap" Arnold.

Smithsonian feud

S. P. Langley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, worked on flying machines and had some success with unmanned models. However, his large, manned aircraft failed in tests in 1903. The Smithsonian later claimed this aircraft could fly, which led to a long disagreement with Orville Wright.

The Smithsonian changed its story after tests in 1914, but Orville Wright objected because they did not tell the whole truth. He lent the original 1903 Wright Flyer to a museum in London instead of giving it to the Smithsonian. Years later, the Smithsonian finally admitted its mistakes, and the Flyer was returned to the United States after Orville’s death. It was displayed by the Smithsonian on the 45th anniversary of the first flight.

Later years

Both Wilbur and Orville Wright remained unmarried throughout their lives. After a brief flight in 1911, Wilbur stopped flying and focused on business and legal matters for the Wright Company. He traveled extensively, handling various affairs in Europe and the United States. Sadly, Wilbur became ill and passed away in 1912 at the age of 45.

Orville took over leadership of the Wright Company after his brother's death. He later sold the company and became a respected figure in aviation, serving on important committees. Orville made his final flight in 1918 and continued to support aviation development. He lived a long life, passing away in 1948 at the age of 76.

Competing claims

Main article: Claims to the first powered flight

Further information: Early flying machines and Aviation in the pioneer era

Some people believe that others, like Clément Ader, Gustave Whitehead, Richard Pearse, and Karl Jatho, made the first powered flights before the Wright brothers. Others think flights happened after 1903 by Traian Vuia and Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Supporters of the Wright brothers say their flights were special because they were proven, repeated, controlled, and lasted a good amount of time. They believe this makes the Wright brothers the true inventors of the airplane. Aviation historian C. H. Gibbs-Smith agreed, saying earlier attempts were just short "powered hops" and not fully controlled flights.

State rivalry

Ohio's 50 State Quarter shows the 1905 Wright Flyer III, built in Dayton, and Ohio native Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon. Meanwhile, North Carolina's 50 State Quarter features the famous first flight photo of the 1903 Wright Flyer in Kitty Hawk, now Kill Devil Hills.

Ohio and North Carolina both celebrate the Wright brothers. Ohio calls itself the "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers," honoring the Wrights, as well as astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. North Carolina uses the slogan "First in Flight." Both states played important roles in the history of flight, and each has memorials to the Wright brothers: Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina and Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Ohio.

Commemorations

The Wright brothers and their airplane have been honored in many ways. Their image appears on U.S. pilot certifications and several U.S. postage stamps. For example, stamps from 1928 and 1949 featured the Wright Flyer and the brothers' first flight.

Wright Brothers Field

NASA named the first Martian airfield for the Ingenuity helicopter "Wright Brothers Field." The tiny helicopter arrived on Mars on February 18, 2021, attached to the Perseverance rover. A small piece of wing fabric from the 1903 Wright Flyer was placed under Ingenuity's solar panel. Before Ingenuity moved on, it flew five times from Wright Brothers Field in early 2021.