Wright Flyer (First Flight)

The aircraft that achieved the first powered flight/Everyday Objects

On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Flyer became the first heavier-than-air powered aircraft to achieve sustained, controlled flight. The first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 36.6 meters — less than the wingspan of a modern Boeing 747. By the fourth flight that day, Wilbur Wright managed 59 seconds and 260 meters. The aircraft was built of spruce, ash, and muslin fabric, with a 12-horsepower gasoline engine.