Wilbur and Orville Wright

How They Invented the AirplaneBy Michael Aiken

May, 2005

Wilbur and Orville Wright-Wilbur Wright (shown on the left) was born on April 16, 1867 in Millville, Indiana

-Orville Wright (shown on the right) was born on April 19, 1871 in Dayton, Ohio.

Wright Cycle Co.The brothers built bicycles and plane

parts here. Another thing they constructed was a

wind tunnel.

They also built many test wings out

of wax, iron, and steel at different

angles and sizes for test purpose.

Achieving Flight“We knew that men had by common consent adopted

human flight as the standard of impossibility. When a

man said,’It can’t be done, a man might as well learn to

fly,’ as he was understood as expressing the final limit of

impossibility.”

Wilbur Wright

1. Wings that provide lift

2. A power plant to propel it

3. Means of control

A machine that flies must have...

Kitty Hawk, North CarolinaThey needed a testing ground for their planes. The U.S. Weather Bureau recommended Kitty Hawk, North Carolina: A windy site with stretches of sandy beaches.

1900 Wright Glider

The 1900 Wright glider had a17 ft. wingspan and a light wooden frame covered with sateen. The brothers

would fly the gliders like kites. Since there is much wind, the lift causes the

plane to rise above the ground.

1901-1902

The 1901 glider crashed when it spun

out of control. In 1902, the brothers used a wind tunnel for testing wing and propeller design by

running air over each.

Angle of AttackAs the leading edge of the wing tilts up,

air moves faster over the top of the

wing, increasing lift, making wind rise.

Propellers

The brothers knew that they had to have a curved wing since the wing would

slice through the air. They also knew that the propellers would have to have

the right diameter, pitch, and area.

The Wright’s Propellers

There were two propellers on all the

Wright Fliers and they turned in opposite

directions to keep the plane stabilized. The

propellers were connected to the motor through a

sprocket-and-chain transmission, like the

kind used to pull a bicycle.

Now, they need an engine... The Wrights needed

an engine that produced at least 8

horsepower and weighed under 200

pounds. Luckily, they found an amazing

engine that exceeded both qualities.

The Wright Brother’s Engine

Their engine was state-of-the-art. It was made by Charlie Taylor. This engine produced 12 horsepower and only

weighed 179 pounds. It was considered remarkable and helped the Wright

Brothers achieve success.

1903 Wright FlierThe 1903 Wright Flier was a product of the tests that the brothers did in 1902. On their third try, Wilbur flew for 12 seconds. It was the first time anyone had been in flight.

Wing-WarpingWing-warping: to

adjust the position of

the wings to balance the plane after

turning

Ailerons

The 1903 Flier had ailerons. They were devices that helped control the

plane. Ailerons looked like flaps at

the ends of the wings that could control dives and

climbs.

1905 Wright Flier

The 1905 Wright Flier was tested in Huffman Prairie, Ohio. It’s longest flight was 39 minutes. It weighed over 700 pounds and was thought of as the “First Practical Airplane.

Biplane Blunders

The brothers biplanes tended to spin out of control. They fixed

this problem by adding ailerons. The Wright brothers also made the plane turn by installing a spiral twist running down

the wings.

Work Does Pay Off...

After all the inventing, the Wrights took a tour in Europe in

1906-1908, demonstrating their invention. In 1909,

they returned to America.

The Beginning of a LegacyWilbur died on May 30, 1912 from

typhoid fever at the age of 45. Orville died on January 27, 1948. All of their

planes that survived their purposes are currently inside the Smithsonian

Institution’s Air and Space Museum.

The Wright Brothers Memorial

The Wright Brothers Memorial was constructed after the Wright Brothers had died. The Memorial is meant to

honor the Wrights for their remarkable achievements in flight.

BibliographyFreedman, Russell. The

Wright Brothers: How they invented the Airplane. New York; Holiday House, 1991.

Bibliography“Wilbur and Orville Wright.”

People and Discoveries. 5/1/05<http://pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btwrig.html>

BibliographySmithsonian Institution. “The

Wright Brothers.” National Air and Space Museum. 5/1/05<http://www.nasm.si.edu/wright brothers/fly>

About The AuthorHi. I’m Michael Aiken, the author of this project. The things that I enjoy most are

soccer and backpacking. My favorite foods are pizza, chicken, and cheeseburgers. Most

people know me for my humorous jokes and my inability to take anything seriously.