The First FlightThe First Flight

How Did it Happen?How Did it Happen?

Rene FordRene FordChapman ElementaryChapman Elementary

November 4, 2003November 4, 2003

The Beginning

• The Wright Brothers were born in Indiana and Ohio.

• There were seven children in their family. • Their father encouraged them to be high

achievers.

Orville

Wilbur

What made them want to fly?

• As children the brothers received a toy helicopter that fascinated them.

• They gained experience in designing and building mechanical devices.

The Belief that Flight was possible

• The brothers wrote a letter to the leading authority on flight.

• The letter resulted in a visit by Octave Chanute.

• The relationship continued for many years.

Before Kitty Hawk

• The Wright brothers open their bike shop.

• The brothers study bird flight and the work of early aeronautical pioneers.

• Experiments conducted on gliders.

• Decide to test large glider at Kitty Hawk.

• They applied for a patent.

At Kitty Hawk

• The Wright Brothers performed between 700 and 1000 glide tests to increase distance.

• A machine was built that was engine powered and used a propeller (Known as the 1903 machine).

• On December 14 several unsuccessful powered flights were attempted.

• On December 17, 1903 at 10:35 the Wright brothers made the first sustained power driven flight of a heavier-than-air machine.

• Four trial flights were made that same day.

The 1903 Machine

After Kitty Hawk• The brothers immediately

began to improve the plane.• Orville demonstrated their

plane in the United States and Wilbur demonstrated it in Europe.

• The brothers offered the plane to the War Department.

• On September 17, 1908 Lt. Thomas Selfridge was killed in an airplane crash at Fort Myer while on a demonstration flight with Orville.

100 Years Later

Credits• Slide 2 “Childhood Portrait of Wilbur”.1901-1928. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American

Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/ils:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(ppprs+00676))+@field(COLLID+wri))]. (November 25,2003).

“O.W., aged 9 1/2 years, taken at Cedar Rapids ”.1881. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/ils:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(cph+3c25543))+@field(COLLID+cph))]. (November 25, 2003).

• Slide 4 “Octave Chanute Papers: Special Correspondence-Wright Brothers, 1900”. 1900. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/wright:@field(DOCID+@lit(wright002804))]. (November 25, 2003).

• Slide 5 “Side view of Dan Tate, left and Wilbur, right, flying the 1902 glider as a kite”. 1902. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/ils:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(ppprs+00631))+@field(COLLID+wri))]. (November 25,2003).

• Slide 7 “1903 machine, front view”.1903. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/ils:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(ppprs+00615))+@field(COLLID+wri))]. (November 25, 2003).

• Slide 8 “ Pages 1 and 2 of the Washington Post” Sept 18, 1908. The Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers, American Memory Collection, Library of Congress. [http://memory.loc.gov:8081/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/wright:@field(NUMBER+@band(mwright+05001237))]. (November 25, 2003).