71+ Interesting Facts About Wright Brothers

Last updated on April 30th, 2023

53. The Wright Brothers designed wing movement based on what they observed when watching birds and the angles of their wings during flight. They tested various angles using a system of pulleys.

54. The brothers chose Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their first flight based on information from the US Weather Bureau and due to its sandy areas. 

55. Though modern day scientists use wind tunnels for many different experiments, The Wright Brothers built their own wind tunnel to test the many modifications to their planes in their later years.

56. Wilbur and Orville had discovered during their years of building planes that narrower wings gave the planes better lift. This discovery contributed to the current design of planes of all sizes.

57. In 1902 the brothers designed the tail rudder to be movable. This improved control of planes, and also contributed to the modern design of planes. The brothers were instrumental in contributing to the modern flight controls of today’s planes.

58. The brothers made one failed attempt at flight before reaching success at Kitty Hawk. They were determined and didn’t let one failure stop them from achieving their goal of flight.

59. The brothers conducted several glider tests to improve their flying skills before flying their plane. They understood the skill and practice it took to become skilled pilots and to control a plane effectively.

60. As they gained more knowledge, the brothers developed control systems for planes, to keep them balanced and stable during flight and to help with maneuvers. They studied aerodynamics from other experts to learn and understand the principles that influenced flight.

61. In 1899 Wilbur wrote to the Smithsonian for access to aeronautical publications.

62. The brothers hired Charles Taylor to build engine parts for their planes and he worked closely with the brothers for several years. The Wright Brothers designed and built their own engine because they were unable to find the one that met their goals for weight and horsepower. And, since they needed just one engine, other manufacturers could not produce it because it was not profitable for them. 

63. Though first to fly a plane, Samuel P. Langley flew his without a pilot and used steam to power it, rather than use an engine that takes fuel like the Wright Brothers. Built in 1896, the aircraft named “Langley aerodrome No. 5” was the first powered heavier-than-air machine to attain sustained flight. After a series of test flights and continuous improvements, Langley and his crew were able to keep aloft the Langley aerodrome No. 6, for a record 1 minute and 45 seconds.

64. Orville Wright survived eight major plane crashes beginning in 1902 and ending in 1911. He and his sister Katharine also survived a serious train wreck where a smaller train ran into theirs in France. Neither was hurt in the accident.

65. Orville and his assistants experimented with aeroboats. They used the Great Miami River in Dayton to try them out. Eventually a seaplane base was established there. 

66. Orville Wright gave the bicycle shop and his family home to Henry Ford so it could be displayed at the museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

67. Wilbur Wright flew a plane near LeMans, France in 1908.

68. The Wright Flyer is currently housed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

69. The 1905 Wright Flyer was the first to fly figure eights, banks, and turns. It was flown over 40 times and for up to 30 minutes on two occasions. This model showed off the brothers’ ability to overcome their previous technical challenges. And thus became the world’s first practical airplane.

70. The brothers published a newspaper called “The Tattler,” which served the African American population of Dayton. Wright State University, a public research university in Dayton, is named after the siblings.

71. The brothers earned several awards including the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Langley Medal, the French Legion of Honor, the Collier Trophy, the British Albert Medal, the Flying Cross, The Washington Award, the Distinguished Service Medal, The Daniel Guggenheim Medal, and were inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame.

72. One of the most well known boats owned by Orville is the “Kittyhawk,” which was put into service in 1931 as a boat taxi. The boat had a mahogany hull and was fitted with a 1941 Ford Model T engine by Orville.

73. Orville was active in Boy Scouts and sat on a Boy Scout Council. He became particularly involved in the organization’s aviation program. The program became popular and soon formed its own branch as Air Explores. Eventually the branch folded back into Boy Scouts and then became known as “Explores,” a program that is offered today.

74. Orville was a dog lover and owned a Saint Bernard named “Scipio.”

75. In February of 1908, they were awarded a contract by US army. However, they were asked to fulfil certain conditions before the army would acquire their planes. To demonstrate the airplane’s capability, the brothers undertook some test flights at Fort Myer, Virginia. Unfortunately, the final flight that would seal the deal with the army resulted in a fatal accident.

76. Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge was the passenger when Orville took off.  He died in the accident when Orville was flying and the plane crashed. Orville suffered a broken leg and spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from his injuries.

77. Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge was the first person to die in an airplane crash. Due to a split propeller, the plane carrying Orville and Thomas E. Selfridge crashed, injuring the pilot and killing the passenger. Thomas E. Selfridge was also the first active-duty member of the U.S. military to die in a crash while on duty.

78. On October 1911, Orville soared for a duration of 9 minutes and 45 seconds, a record that stayed for almost 10 years.

79. Edith Ogilby Berg was the first American woman passenger. She was flown by Wilbur Wright in September 1908.

80. In 1909, the Wright brothers were invited to the white house by president Taft. The brothers were also presented with Aero Club of America gold medals in the East Room of the White House. 

81. Did you know that the first commercial transport flight with an airplane took place on November 7, 1910? It was piloted by Phil O. Parmalee and the plane carried two bolts of silk from Dayton to Columbus, Ohio.

82. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared August 19 as National Aviation Day.

83. Did you know that North Carolina’s “First in Flight” license plate, commemorates the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. in 1903?

84. Did you know that one of the pilots trained at the facility was Henry H. (“Hap”) Arnold, who would rise to command of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II?

The Wright Brothers – quick facts