Wright Brothers and the Birth of Aviation

5 amazing facts about the Wright Brothers

The Wright Brothers

Image source: www.theatlantic.com

On 17 December 1903, two brothers from Dayton, Orville and Wilbur piloted the first man-powered aeroplane flight. The two brothers with no formal training took to the skies over the dunes of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and made history in aviation.

The Inspiration

In 1878, when the two brothers were young, their father had bought a gift which he tossed in the air. Instead of falling to the floor, the toy flew across the room until it struck the ceiling. The toy made of bamboo and paper inspired the boys and sparked their passion for aviation.

On Brothers Flying Together

Image source: www.biography.com

Orville and Wilbur had made a promise to their father that they would never fly together. However, on 25 May 1910, their father allowed them to share a six-minute flight near Dayton. Orville was the pilot and Wilbur was the passenger.

Plane Structure

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The brothers’ first plane had a wingspan of 40.3 feet. The plane’s engine weighed 82 kg, which made the plane weigh a total of 274 kg. The engine, a piston engine, had 12 horsepower.

Plane Development

Image source: www.wright-brothers.org

The brothers closely followed the research of German aviator Otto Lilienthal. While trying to figure out how to design wings for flight, they observed birds and learnt how they angled their wings for balance and control. Thus, they emulated this movement and developed a concept called wing warping. This helped them succeed in flying the first free-controlled flight.

Tejal Mistry