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The Wright brothers inaugurated the aerial age with the world's first successful flights of a powered heavier-than-air flying machine. The Wright Flyer was the product of a sophisticated four-year program of research and development conducted by Wilbur and Orville Wright beginning in 1899.
Display Status
Display Status
This object is on display in the The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
What do you notice about the design of the 1903 Flyer?
What do you notice about the design of the 1903 Flyer?
Where is the pilot?
Where is the engine?
How do the wings compare to other aircraft?
After building and testing three full-sized gliders, the Wrights' first powered airplane flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, making a 12-second flight, traveling 36 m (120 ft), with Orville piloting. The best flight of the day, with Wilbur at the controls, covered 255.6 m (852 ft) in 59 seconds.
First Flight
First Flight
With Orville Wright at the controls and Wilbur Wright mid-stride, right, the 1903 Wright Flyer makes its first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., Dec. 17, 1903.
Last Flight
Last Flight
The 1903 Wright Flyer sits with a broken forward elevator frame after the last of its four flights at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 1903.
How did the Wright Brothers contribute to the field of aviation?
How did the Wright Brothers contribute to the field of aviation?
The Wrights pioneered many of the basic tenets and techniques of modern aeronautical engineering, such as the use of a wind tunnel and flight testing as design tools. Their seminal accomplishment encompassed not only the breakthrough first flight of an airplane, but also the equally important achievement of establishing the foundation of aeronautical engineering.
Five Key Ways Today's Aircraft are similar to the Wright Brothers' Plane:
Five Key Ways Today's Aircraft are similar to the Wright Brothers' Plane:
Check out Engineering the Wright Way:
Check out Engineering the Wright Way:
An online game where you test your engineering skills. Can you build and fly a Wright Flyer?
For more on the 1903 Wright Flyer, look at our page here, look at the online exhibit, and watch the STEM in 30 episode on the Wright Brothers.
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