The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871X– January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867X– May 30, 1912), were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who are credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. From 1905 to 1907, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first XXXXXXXXX fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.
The most important events for the Wright brothers are when The Wright brothers fly their first manned glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to test their control system. It does not produce enough lift to make more than a handful of flights in 1900. And when The Wrights demonstrate a new airplane and the U.S. Army buys its first military aircraft. The Wrights begin to manufacture airplanes and teach pilots which was in 1909.
On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright piloted the first powered airplane 20 feet above a wind-swept beach in North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. Three more flights were made that day with Orville's brother Wilbur piloting the record flight lasting 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet.The brothers began their experimentation in flight in 1896 at their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. They selected the beach at Kitty Hawk as their proving ground because of the constant wind that added lift to their craft. In 1902 they came to the beach with their glider and made more than 700 successful flights.
Having perfected glided flight, the next step was to move to powered flight. No automobile manufacturer could supply an engine XXXX light enough and powerful enough for their needs. So they designed and built their own. All of their hard work, experimentation and innovation came together that December day as they took to the sky and forever changed the course of history. The brothers notified several newspapers prior to their historic flight, but only one - the local journal - made mention of the event.
In modern times, people can travel much faster. This has lead to the spread of culture, where more people visit foreign countries. The acceleration of travel has also played a large role in the development of international business. Before the airplane, it was very difficult for businesses to operate on an international basis because their representatives couldn't conduct important business deals in person. Now, the airplane has made it possible for business representatives to visit foreign countries and conduct their business abroad, another way the airplane has influenced a more globalized world.
The invention of airplanes also greatly changed the course of modern warfare. Without airplanes, there would be no air force. Planes played a major difference in World War I, and since then, planes have been used to transport soldiers, emergency supplies and spy on enemies abroad. Space travel is also connected to airplanes. Without airplanes, space travel wouldn't have been conceivable. Much of what is known about the universe wouldn't have been attainable without mastering the aeronautics of the planet's atmosphere.
