Student Article

On a cold and windy day — December 17, 1903 — two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, changed history forever. They had built a special flying machine, called the Flyer, and were ready to test it near Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. The strong 27-mile-per-hour wind made the conditions tough, but they chose this location for its windy weather to help the Flyer lift off.

The first flight a monumental achievement

At about 10:35 a.m., Orville climbed onto the lower wing and took control. The Flyer rattled down its rail and rose into the air! It didn’t stay up long — just 12 seconds — and it only traveled about 120 feet. But it was enough. This was the world’s first powered, controlled, and sustained flight by a human in an airplane.

The end of the Flyer

The Wright brothers took turns and flew three more times that day. Their last flight covered 852 feet! Sadly, a gust of wind later flipped the Flyer and damaged it badly. It was never flown again. But the brothers had already made their mark.

So, what set the Flyer apart?

The Flyer could be controlled in all three directions: up and down (pitch), side to side (roll), and turning left or right (yaw). Orville and Wilbur figured out a system called “wing-warping,” which bent the wings slightly to steer. Combined with a movable rudder and hand lever, it allowed the pilot to stay in charge.

The Wright brothers’ success spreads worldwide

The Wrights kept improving their aircraft. In 1905, Wilbur flew their third version for almost 40 minutes! Though people in America were slow to believe in their invention, they found success in France by 1908. There, big crowds came to watch their flying shows. And just like that, human aviation took off!

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