Wright, Orville and Wilbur

Dates of birth: Wilbur: April 16, 1867; Orville: August 19, 1871.

Places of birth: Wilbur: Millville, Indiana; Orville: Dayton, Ohio.

Died: Wilbur: May 30, 1912; Orville: January 30, 1948.

Major contribution: Achieved the first sustained, powered, controlled airplane flight; built the first practical powered airplane; built the first practical passenger-carrying airplane.

Awards: Orville: Collier Trophy.

n December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first sus­tained, powered, controlled air­plane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wrights continued experi­menting with airplane designs and made several important advances. They helped promote aviation across the United States and in Europe.

Early Life

The Wright brothers were the sons of Milton and Susan Wright. Their father was a church minister. Years after their success, the Wrights said they first became interested in flying in 1878 when their father brought home a toy helicopter powered by a rubber band. Intrigued when the toy flew, the boys played often with it and experimented by making their own versions of it. Their mother, who often made toys and

household appliances herself, encour­aged the brothers’ interest in flight.

Wilbur graduated from high school, but before starting college he suffered a serious injury while playing hockey. He remained at home, helping his father with church business and caring for his sick mother until her death in 1889. During this time, Wilbur read constantly.

By the time their mother died, Wilbur’s younger brother Orville had persuaded Wilbur to join him in opening a print shop in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. The brothers began pub­lishing a small newspaper, but they failed to make money with the paper and eventually closed the business. In 1892, the brothers opened a successful bicycle shop where they built, sold, and repaired bikes.