The Wright Brothers
Pioneers of Flight Inventors, determined, and famous are three words often used to describe the Wright Brothers. Many people know the Wright Brothers as great inventors of the airplane, but do not know the determination it took to accomplish greatness. By making it possible to fly, they changed the world, they persevered through challenges to accomplish a dream, and their legacy was being pioneers of flight and bringing airplanes and flying to the world.
There was one very important world problem during the Wright Brothers’ time. Transportation was necessary, but it was difficult. Bicycles, ships, trains, wagons, and carriages were used to deliver supplies and goods to cities, but it took a long time. Similarly …show more content…
When they were in their twenties, they were bored with making bicycles and were looking for more interesting forms of engineering (Wymers 54). They read all the information they could find on flying (Stein 27). They read a story about Lilienthal’s gliding experiments and were excited (Wymers 54). So, they decided to improve upon the glider and make a machine that could fly by mechanical power--an airplane powered by an engine (Wymer 54). People thought the brothers were crazy and that it was impossible to get a machine to fly (Stein 8). But the Wright brothers were scientific and methodical inventors and built smaller and safer versions before building an actual plane (Reuther). Once they had a successful airplane, the Wright brothers did flying demonstrations in 1908 and 1909, which led to flying exhibitions, races, long-distance flights, and other forms of competition in Europe and the United States (Smithsonian). They also taught military officers and other pilots how to fly (Longhorne). Further. the Wright brothers invention led to civilian and military air transport (Longhorne). In 1910, the brothers offered their first airplane, the Wright Model B, to the military (Smithsonian), which led to the first armed plane which had a machine gun (Longhorne). In 1911, the United States Navy bought a Model B that was modified for water take off (Smithsonian). In addition, the very first commercial transport flight took place …show more content…
Orville and Wilbur both made successful flights (Reuther). They made many public flights and dazzled crowds and became heroes, though they did not like the attention and really just wanted to get back to work (Smithsonian). They worked hard and got patents on their plane in America and several countries in Europe (Smithsonian). But there was some controversy. The brothers almost missed getting credit for creating the first successful plane; officials at the Smithsonian Institute wanted to give Langley the credit, but later the Smithsonian gave a public apology (Comptons 368). The planes were finished after Wilbur died due to typhoid fever (Stein 28), but the Wright brothers’ invention changed the world. All successful airplanes have used the basic design elements of the Wright Flyer (Smithsonian). By solving the challenges of flight, Orville and Wilbur helped created the new world of air transportation (Smithsonian). By making it possible to fly, they changed the world, persevered through challenges to accomplish a dream, and their legacy was being pioneers of flight and bringing airplanes and flying to the world. Even today the Wright brothers are remembered as awesome inventors. They made difference in the world by being inventors of planes. They are certainly a hero of change because they were determined when they invented planes. Perhaps if people were more like the Wright brothers the world would be
Pioneers of Flight Inventors, determined, and famous are three words often used to describe the Wright Brothers. Many people know the Wright Brothers as great inventors of the airplane, but do not know the determination it took to accomplish greatness. By making it possible to fly, they changed the world, they persevered through challenges to accomplish a dream, and their legacy was being pioneers of flight and bringing airplanes and flying to the world.
There was one very important world problem during the Wright Brothers’ time. Transportation was necessary, but it was difficult. Bicycles, ships, trains, wagons, and carriages were used to deliver supplies and goods to cities, but it took a long time. Similarly …show more content…
When they were in their twenties, they were bored with making bicycles and were looking for more interesting forms of engineering (Wymers 54). They read all the information they could find on flying (Stein 27). They read a story about Lilienthal’s gliding experiments and were excited (Wymers 54). So, they decided to improve upon the glider and make a machine that could fly by mechanical power--an airplane powered by an engine (Wymer 54). People thought the brothers were crazy and that it was impossible to get a machine to fly (Stein 8). But the Wright brothers were scientific and methodical inventors and built smaller and safer versions before building an actual plane (Reuther). Once they had a successful airplane, the Wright brothers did flying demonstrations in 1908 and 1909, which led to flying exhibitions, races, long-distance flights, and other forms of competition in Europe and the United States (Smithsonian). They also taught military officers and other pilots how to fly (Longhorne). Further. the Wright brothers invention led to civilian and military air transport (Longhorne). In 1910, the brothers offered their first airplane, the Wright Model B, to the military (Smithsonian), which led to the first armed plane which had a machine gun (Longhorne). In 1911, the United States Navy bought a Model B that was modified for water take off (Smithsonian). In addition, the very first commercial transport flight took place …show more content…
Orville and Wilbur both made successful flights (Reuther). They made many public flights and dazzled crowds and became heroes, though they did not like the attention and really just wanted to get back to work (Smithsonian). They worked hard and got patents on their plane in America and several countries in Europe (Smithsonian). But there was some controversy. The brothers almost missed getting credit for creating the first successful plane; officials at the Smithsonian Institute wanted to give Langley the credit, but later the Smithsonian gave a public apology (Comptons 368). The planes were finished after Wilbur died due to typhoid fever (Stein 28), but the Wright brothers’ invention changed the world. All successful airplanes have used the basic design elements of the Wright Flyer (Smithsonian). By solving the challenges of flight, Orville and Wilbur helped created the new world of air transportation (Smithsonian). By making it possible to fly, they changed the world, persevered through challenges to accomplish a dream, and their legacy was being pioneers of flight and bringing airplanes and flying to the world. Even today the Wright brothers are remembered as awesome inventors. They made difference in the world by being inventors of planes. They are certainly a hero of change because they were determined when they invented planes. Perhaps if people were more like the Wright brothers the world would be