On December 17, 2023, we will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the first human flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle shop owners from Ohio who achieved what many had dreamed of for centuries: flying in the air. Their 12-second flight in a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, known as the Wright Flyer, marked the beginning of a new era of aviation and exploration that would transform the world in unimaginable ways.
Humanity's first controlled flight
The Wright brothers were not the first to experiment with flying machines, but they were the first to succeed in creating a stable and controllable aircraft that could take off, fly, and land under its power. They did this by inventing a three-axis control system, which allowed them to steer the aircraft by changing the angle of the wings, the rudder, and the elevator. They also designed and built their engine and propellers, using their mechanical skills and knowledge of aerodynamics.
The Wright brothers made four flights on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, each longer and faster than the previous one. The longest flight lasted 59 seconds and covered 852 feet. The flights were witnessed by five local men, one of whom took a photograph that became an iconic image of the historic event. A gust of wind damaged the Wright Flyer after the fourth flight, and it never flew again, but it was preserved and restored by Orville Wright and is now on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Wright brothers continued to improve their aircraft and made more flights in Ohio and France, attracting public attention and recognition. They also faced competition and controversy from other aviators who claimed to have flown before or better than them. They patented their invention and engaged in legal battles to protect their rights. They also started a company to manufacture and sell airplanes and trained pilots to fly them.
A revolution for humanity's travel
The Wright brothers' invention sparked a revolution in aviation that changed the course of history. Within a few years, airplanes were used for military, commercial, and recreational purposes, opening new possibilities and challenges for humanity.
The First World War saw the first aerial combat and bombing missions and the development of fighter planes and bombers. The first commercial passenger flight took place in 1914, connecting St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida, in 23 minutes. The first airmail service was established in 1918, reducing the time and cost of delivering mail across the country.
From NACA to NASA
The field of aeronautics advanced rapidly in the following decades, thanks to the research and innovation of scientists and engineers, many of whom worked for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor of NASA.
They achieved breakthroughs such as supersonic flight, jet propulsion, and wing design, making airplanes faster, safer, and more efficient. They paved the way for space exploration, as NASA was founded in 1958 to lead the American space program. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade, which was accomplished by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969.
The Wright brothers' first flight also inspired generations of astronauts who ventured into space and explored other worlds. Just 65 years after the Wrights made their pioneering flight on the sands of Kitty Hawk, Apollo 11 astronauts left humanity's first footprints on the dusty surface of the Moon.
The Apollo 14 astronauts named their Lunar Module Kitty Hawk to honor the Wrights' accomplishment. Pieces of the Wright Flyer, sometimes called Kitty Hawk, have flown in space, carried there by astronauts with a geographic connection and a sense of history. Some of these pieces even landed on the Moon and the International Space Station, symbolizing the connection between the first and the latest frontiers of flight.
A piece of the Wright Flyer has even traveled beyond the Earth-Moon system, attached to a small helicopter named Ingenuity that became the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet: Mars. Ingenuity's first flight on April 19, 2021, lasted 39 seconds in an area NASA named Wright Brothers Field, echoing the Wrights' first flight 118 years earlier. Ingenuity's mission continues, paving the way for future aerial explorers of Mars.
Today, aviation is an integral part of our lives, enabling us to travel, communicate, and trade across the globe. It is also a source of inspiration, curiosity, and wonder as we continue to explore the skies and beyond. The Wright brothers' first flight was a milestone that changed the world 120 years ago, and their legacy lives on in every flight we take and every star we reach.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article