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Orville and Wilbur Wright


1902 Glider Test
After studying Lilienthal and Cayley, the Wright brothers flew their first gliders in 1899. In 1900 they went to Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina to pursue the glider experiments. Orville and Wilbur became master glider builders and experts on wing aerodynamics through numerous experiments in a wind tunnel. Through their wind tunnel test, they found an error in Otto Lilienthal's lift formulas. They also discovered that the symmetrical curve of Lilenthal's wing was unstable and improved it by placing the apex of the curve about 1/4 distance back from the leading edge.

While unpowered gliding had been accomplished previously, the Wright brothers took it a step further and desired to build a glider with an engine. They contacted several of the automobile manufacturers to see if they would build them an 8-horsepower motor that weighed less than 200 lbs. Unfortunately for the Wright brothers, none of the automobile companies had time for a special project that would provide no profit.

After being turned down by the automobile industry, the brothers had no choice but to build their own engine. They asked their bicycle mechanic, Charles E. Taylor, for assistance. Charles was operating the Wright's bicycle shop in Dayton Ohio while the brothers were experimenting in North Carolina. In just six weeks, Taylor had completed their 12 horsepower engine with four cylinders, a 4" bore, and a stroke length of 4". The engine weighed 162 pounds. During the first two attempts to test the engine with the propeller attached, the shaft of the propeller broke due to engine vibration. Orville solved the problem by using stronger materials in the propeller.



1903 First Flight


After four years of experimenting with gliding and wind tunnels, the two mounted the engine upon the specially designed glider that would later become known as the 'Wright Flyer'. On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright piloted a 12 second powered flight while covering a distance of 120 feet (33.6 meters). Wilbur took the controls for the second flight and flew for about 175 feet (53 meters). For the third flight, Orville piloted the aircraft for 200 feet (61 meters). Alternating turns, Wilbur was back in the cockpit and flew for 800 feet (244 meters) when the frame began bucking which caused the aircraft to plummet to the ground. Total distance covered in the fourth flight was 852 feet (260 meters) in 59 seconds. The unexpected plunge damaged the front rudder and shut down flight operations for the day. These flights are disputably known as the first heavier-than-air flights to demonstrate controlled sustained manned powered flight.

The Wright Brothers were exponential in bringing attention to aviation by their numerous public displays of powered gliding. Over the years, the Wright brothers had more than 700 successful flights to their credit in the United States and Europe. The success enjoyed by the Wright brothers was largely attributed to their master mechanic abilities and their attention to detail. Most of their mechanical abilities were gained from the jointly owned bicycle shop that they operated in Dayton, Ohio before becoming glider architects.

Orville Wright (b1871-d1948)
Wilbur Wright (b1867-d1912)
Photo Credits: NASA Langley Research Center

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