Il 17 December 1903 it is a date that will forever remain imprinted in the history of humanity, as it marks the day when i Wright brothers they accomplished the first controlled flight of a airplane, Wright Flyer, also known as Flyer I, Flyer 1903 or Kitty Hawk. A flight that opened a new chapter in the evolution of transport and laid the foundations for theaviation era.
The dream of the Wright brothers
Wilbur e Orville wright, two inventors and flight enthusiasts from Dayton, Ohio, had long dreamed of realizing man's dream of flying. With a scientific and engineering approach, the brothers have worked tirelessly to design and build an airplane that could lift off the ground and maintain controlled flight.
The Wright Flyer: the revolutionary airplane
The result of their efforts was the Wright Flyer, an airplane that featured a biplane wing, a powered engine, and a canvas-covered wooden structure. With a'wingspan of approximately 12,3 metres and weighing approximately 340 kilograms, this small airplane was designed to overcome the force of gravity and allow control during flight.
The control happened via a lever to the left of the pilot, while the depth rudder was the main control organ. The Flyer did not have a landing gear, landing directly on its skids. Takeoff took place on an 18 m long trolley, positioned under the plane. The engine accelerated the plane along the track after being released from a locking cable.
La biplane structure it was very light and completely wooden, made of ash and spruce, and covered with light muslin. Metal was only used for some attachments, tie rods and control gears, while the engine, water radiator and transmission chains were made of metal.
The first flight on 17 December 1903
The place chosen for their experiment it was the sand dunes of Kill devil hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Here, away from prying eyes and with favorable weather conditions, the Wright brothers prepared for the crucial moment.
On December 17, 1903, with a light breeze coming from the sea, Orville Wright took the lead of the Wright Flyer. Despite a strong headwind, the Flyer took off from the launch pad thanks to the power of the engine. With the engine running, the airplane soared through the air, covering a distance of approximately 36,5 meters in 12 seconds. The flight was short but revolutionary: it was the first time that a heavier-than-air aircraft was successfully controlled during flight.
“It was a 12-second flight, uncertain, wavering and shaky… but it was finally real flight and not just a glide,” Orville Wright later wrote.
Subsequently, in four subsequent flights, Wilbur, Orville, and Wilbur again demonstrated ever greater mastery of the air. On the fourth flight, Wilbur kept the Flyer in the air for 59 seconds, traveling 260 m.
The cold reception from the public
The Wright brothers communicated the event of the historic first flight of the Flyer directly to the press. However, the public reacted with little enthusiasm, mainly due to the failed flight attempt of Samuel Pierpont Langley, an aviation pioneer and main rival of the brothers, generating widespread skepticism in the United States.
The Wrights, eager to protect their ideas, avoided attracting attention until they had perfected their work, clearly demonstrating its potential economic value.
Only later, with further refinements and demonstrations, their contribution to aviation was fully recognized.
The legacy of the Wright brothers
The Wright brothers' flight was not just a personal triumph, but a turning point in the history of aviation. The demonstration of the possibility of flight inspired successive generations of aviators and engineers, paving the way for extraordinary technological developments in the field of aviation.
Today, on average, there are 26.000 planes in the air per day in the world.
