IndexResearch and ExperimentsThe Arrival of the Air AgeBenefits for SocietyWright's LegacyConclusionThe 18th and 19th centuries underwent notable economic transformations, especially in transportation, when different modes of transportation such as automobiles and trains were invented and served as practical solutions for traveling long distances. Flying has long been an aspiration of humanity, as the only proven way to fly at the time was to glide. It was only after the death of glider pilot Otto Lilienthal in 1896 that Orville and Wilbur Wright were inspired to build the world's first airplane. As a result, the end of the 19th century took an unprecedented turn, after the first successful recorded flight of the Wright brothers. This event shed more light on aerodynamics, which was an indistinct scientific field at the time, and allowed society to travel greater distances by efficient means. Furthermore, he broke the barrier of human escape, left a lasting impression on American history, and expanded humanity's vision of the possible. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayResearch and ExperimentsOrville and Wilbur Wright were both born in the early 19th century and deprived of much education due to family duties. Orville suffered a facial injury. Despite these challenges, the brothers were drawn to the exploits of an extraordinary glider pilot, Otto Lilienthal. and became passionate about gliding experiments. They chose to educate themselves in the theory and art of flying. Orville and Wilbur Wright had long been plagued by the belief that flight was possible for man. Before beginning work on airplanes, the brothers' first venture was to open a bicycle shop, "The Wright Cycle Shop", in Dayton, Ohio in 1892. This was an ideal occupation for the Wright brothers as it included one of most exciting mechanical devices of the time: the bicycle. When they tackled the problems of flight, they had a solid foundation of practical mechanics that would be useful when designing aircraft. By 1899 the brothers had exhausted the resources of their local library and had written to the Smithsonian Institution for suggestions on how to further their privileges in aeronautics. The following year they wrote to introduce themselves to Octave Chanute, a prominent civil engineer and authority on aviation. Chanute later became the brothers' chief confidant during the critical years from 1900 to 1905. Wilbur and Orville Wright ultimately rejected Otto Lilienthal's calculations and theories and dove into their own aerodynamic research and testing based on personal experiments, which reached l implemented in their No. 3 in September/October 1902. Referring to Cayley's hypothesis about the need for electricity to achieve sustained flight, the Wright brothers stuck to his idea and considered powered flight their ultimate goal . The Wrights' machines were deliberately made unstable to give voluntary control to the pilot. This ended up being the key to their success. The U.S. Weather Bureau provided the brothers with land in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina in 1900. The weather conditions here would allow for consistent measurements and good winds for gliding. After making more than a thousand glider flights, the brothers were able to confirm the accuracy of previous data and demonstrate their ability to control the glider's movements. Having learned to control a suitable airframe, they then attempted to add power to their machine. The Wright Brothersthey soon discovered that no manufacturer would build an engine that met their needs, so they took them to build their own. They built a four-cylinder engine and an internal combustion engine that could produce 12 horsepower. When this engine was installed in the airframe, the entire machine weighed 750 pounds and proved capable of traveling at 31 miles per hour. The Wright brothers flew their plane to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. That day, the Wright brothers flew their plane in front of five witnesses. The plane flew four times that day, the longest flight was 59 seconds and covered more than half a mile. Their success sparked immense fame and secured a significant position in American history. The Wright brothers had achieved the unthinkable; gain control of your plane and maneuver it. This was considered scientifically impossible to man in every sense. All the myths were debunked and according to Chronicling America this proved "...the first sustained, piloted flight of a heavier-than-air machine." The Virginia Pilot hailed it as a "successful trial by Ohio men." This event garnered many other national sensational headlines. The Wright brothers' breakthrough in aeronautics would leave an imprint on aviation and humanity for centuries to come. The Arrival of the Air Age The brothers returned to Dayton convinced of their success and were determined to build a better model. The Wright Flyer II first flew on May 23, 1904 and traveled 2 ¾ miles in a flight lasting more than five minutes. Overall it was similar to the Flyer I but was created with 16 additional horsepower. The United States government considered the Wright brothers' planes an advantage in war. The year 1907 saw the gradual development of interest in the Wright brothers' airplanes in Washington, D.C. and the brothers began to ask the federal government for encouragement in their endeavor. The government bid on a plane that met certain specifications. By February 1908 the Army had finally given the Wrights a deal for a military airplane. In September of that year, the Army plane was exhibited before the Signal Corps authorities at Fort Myer, Virginia, making ten flights, four of which exceeded the hour-long flight, and demonstrating, as one observer put it, that the Wrights were truly aviators. , not liars. The U.S. military acquired the aircraft as Signal Corps No. I. In 1909, Wilbur founded the company known as the American Wright Company. The Wright brothers' principal public activity was service on the National Advisory Board for Aeronautics (the government organization that preceded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]), of which Orville served as a member along with President Woodrow Wilson until 1915. The brothers' success continued with their experiments at Kitty Hawk. Wilbur flew on eight more occasions at Hunaudieres, flying agile circles and figure-eights. His best result was on August 12, remaining noticeable for about seven minutes during six laps of the course. They also found foreign supporters in France for their machine. The French prevailed over the Wrights' surprising invention. After seeing the Wrights' flying machine, Delagrange, a French aviator and sculptor, admitted, "Well, we're beat." Another French aviator and inventor, Bleriot, also commented on Orville Wright's successes: "Monsieur Wright has everything in his hands", meaning that the Wright brothers would now have a path of fame and fortune ahead of them. how the Wright brothers stunningly achieved their goal of powered flight. The company's outlook changed immediately.”