The Wright Brothers

Wilbur and Orville Wright, bicycle makers of Dayton who flew the first powered aeroplane.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Flew 120 feet at Kitty Hawk on 17 December 1903, the first controlled powered flight.
• Built their own wind tunnel and tested some 200 wing shapes before flying.
• Within five years they were demonstrating circuit flights in Europe and America.

Specifications & Metrics

• ERA: 1871 – 1948, 1867 – 1912