The Wright Brothers Story

The brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright were fascinated by human flight. Their first powered airplane, "The Wright Flyer," was tested at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Wilbur’s first flight was on December 14, 1903 but stalled and crashed. Three days later, after repairs, Orville flew to 540 feet and landed safely after 12 seconds: the first powered flight in aviation history. Fearing competition, the brothers declined to demonstrate for the US Army, traveling to France in 1908 to prove their aircraft to be far superior to their European competitors. A tragedy soon followed when a passenger died in a crash, but the brothers persevered, working together until in 1912 when Wilbur died from typhoid. Orville sold the Wright Company in 1915, devoting his time to research until he died at the age of 76.