When Was the First Airplane Flight?
The first flight of an airplane took place on December 17th, 1903. A plane constructed by the Wilbur and Orville Wright flew a total distance of 120 feet at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, along the beach of that coastal region. It was the first flight of a heavier-than-air invention.
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First Try
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The first attempt by the Wright Brothers to fly took place 3 days prior, on December 14th. Wilbur was the pilot; he won this honor through a coin flip. However, Wilbur was unable to steer the plane and it stalled after taking off, crashing into the sand.
Success
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On December 17th, it was Orville's turn tofly their plane. He took off into 27 mile per hour winds at 10:35 in the morning and was able to keep the bi-plane in the air until it came back down on the beach. One of the volunteers helping the brothers took a historic photograph of the plane in the air.
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Three More
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That same day, the brothers successfully flew three more times. On each successive try, the plane covered more distance until finally Wilbur was able to fly it 892 feet in a time frame of 59 seconds.
The Flyer
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The Wright's plane had a gasoline engine, which turned the two propellers on the plane. Named the "Flyer," the plane weighed 605 pounds and was severely damaged during the final flight on December 17th, making it irreparable.
Deaths
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Wilbur Wright, the older of the two brothers, died from the effects of typhoid on May 30th, 1912, at the age of 45. Orville passed away from a heart attack on January 30th, 1948, when he was 76 years old. Both brothers are buried in Dayton, Ohio.
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Resources
- Photo Credit www.old-picture.com
