How Did the First Airplane Work?
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Introduction
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On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright successfully flew the first controlled aircraft. Although they had tested their theories about air travel with kites and gliders, this was the first time they tested their creation to see if it worked. This first flight inspired others to build on the Wright brothers' experiments, and the airplanes we have today still use some of their techniques.
Basic Structure
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The first airplane was made of wooden beams with canvas stretched over them. The plane had two horizontal wings that were parallel to each other. Behind the wings were two propellers that pushed the plane through the air. The plane also included two rudders, which the pilot could control by using a system of pulleys. The pilot crouched on the bottom wing in order to fly the plane; in later versions, the Wright brothers built a seat for the pilot.
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Wings and Steering
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The Wright brothers' design reflected many years of experimentation, and one of the most innovative aspects of their airplane was the wing design. The Wright brothers conceived the idea of wing warping, in which the pilot can "warp" the wings so that one wing has more lift than the other. Wing warping enabled the pilot to steer the plane more effectively.
Engine and Propellers
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The Wrights were the first to realize that a propeller was really just a wing rotating on an axis. This understanding enabled them to experiment with propellers until they discovered the best design. The Wrights also realized that they needed a specialized engine to power the propellers on their aircraft. They tried to buy an engine, but none of the producers would build one according to their specifications. Undaunted, they built one themselves (along with the help of Charles Taylor). It was a four-cylinder model with no carburetor, no fins and barely enough horsepower to lift the plane off the ground. Nevertheless, it did the job, and the Wright brothers went down in history as the first pilots to successfully fly a controlled aircraft.
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