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119 years ago the first plane took to the sky

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew the first self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. The gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane was flown by Orville on its first flight, which lasted 12 seconds and reached 120 feet.

The Wright brothers started their journey by starting a bicycle sales and repair company in 1892. After gathering enough funds, they went on to designing and manufacturing their first gliders.

#Didyouknow
130 years ago, this month the Wright brothers open their first bicycle shop! #CurtissWright #AviationHistory pic.twitter.com/20fVxUAe5T

— Curtiss-Wright (@cwcareers) December 9, 2022

Their initial glider, which was tested in 1900, did poorly, but a second version, which was tested in 1901, performed better. Ultimately they tested approximately 200 wings and airframes of various sizes, forms, and designs.

The brothers’ methodical experimentation finally paid off. They made hundreds of successful glider flights with their 1902 craft. They found a solution for controlled flight in the form of a steering mechanism for their biplane glider that was based on a movable rudder. They were now prepared to fly using power.

With the help of machinist Charles Taylor, they created a 12-horsepower internal combustion engine in Dayton, and built the first-ever aeroplane. They brought their flying machine in bits to Kitty Hawk in the fall of 1903, put it together and conducted a few more tests.

First engine-powered flight

On December 17, in front of five witnesses, the plane took off and went along a monorail track before rising 120 feet in the air for 12 seconds. That day, Wilbur and Orville flew the aircraft in turn for three additional tests. The final trip was piloted by Wilbur, who covered 852 feet in 59 seconds.

On this day in history, Dec. 17, 1903, Wright brothers accomplish first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina https://t.co/rrpFt8nzwk pic.twitter.com/mKq3IJRSPU

— New York Post (@nypost) December 17, 2022

The Wright brothers continued to improve their aircraft over the following few years, but they kept quiet about their achievements in order to get patents and contracts for their aircraft. By 1905, their aircraft were capable of intricate manoeuvres and could stay in the air for up to 39 minutes at a time.

They made their first public flights in France in 1908, which excited the public in general. After the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps bought a specially made plane in 1909, the Wright brothers established the Wright Company to produce and sell their aircraft. Orville Wright survived till 1948 but Wilbur Wright passed away in 1912 from typhoid.

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