The Wright Brothers
Orville and Wilbur were two American brothers, inventors and aviation pioneers. They were recognised for inventing and building the world’s first successful airplane.
The Wright brothers gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in printing presses, and by working with machinery related to bicycles, motors etc. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.
Early life: Wilbur was born on April 16, 1867 and Orville was born on August 19, 1871 in Indiana. Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up in a close, caring family. Their mother Susan was warm, loving, protective, and encouraged the intellectual interest of her children. The Wright brothers had their share of squabbles, like siblings everywhere. But they were much closer than most of the children.
Education and career: Both brothers attended high school, but did not receive diplomas. The family's unexpected move from Richmond, Indiana to Dayton in 1884 prevented Wilbur from receiving his diploma after finishing four years of high school. Orville dropped out of high school after his junior year to start a printing business in 1889, having designed and built his own printing press with Wilbur's help. They launched a weekly newspaper, the West Side News. Capitalizing on the national bicycle craze, the brothers opened a repair and sales shop, the Wright Cycle Exchange in 1892, and later changed the name to Wright Cycle Company and began manufacturing their own brand in 1896.
Developing the airplane: The Wright brothers closely followed the research of the German aviator, Otto Lilienthal. When Lilienthal died in a glider crash, the brothers decided to start their own experiments with flight. Determined to develop their own successful design, Wilbur and Orville headed to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina known for its strong winds. Wilbur and Orville set to work trying to figure out how to design wings for flight. They observed that birds angled their wings for balance and control, and tried to emulate this, developing a concept called "wing warping".
The Wright brothers found the magic formula when they added a movable rudder, and on December 17, 1903, they succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven airplane. Wilbur flew the plane for 59 seconds at 852 feet. It was accepted by the government.
Awards and graduations: The Wright brothers received awards on three separate occasions: Cogressional Medal of Honour awarded on June 17, 1909, Legion of Honour, awarded on June 20, 1909, Collier Trophy awarded on February 3, 1914. All totalled, there were 15 honorary degrees awarded to one or both of the brothers.
Later years: Wilbur passed away on May 30, 1912. After his brother's loss Orville gave up his interest in manufacturing. His chief public activity was in service on the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the government agency that came before NASA, until his death in Dayton on January 30, 1948.
