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Throughout history, humanity has been captivated by the idea of flight. It was not until the turn of the 20th century that the dream of soaring through the skies like birds became a reality. On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first powered, controlled, and sustained flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, marking a monumental milestone in human history. The Wright brothers left an indelible mark on the world as some of the greatest innovators of their time. This essay explores the early adulthood of the Wright brothers, their pre-flight business endeavors, and the series of events that culminated in their groundbreaking innovations in aeronautics.
Wilbur, the elder of the two, was born near Millville, Indiana, in 1867, while Orville was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1871. Throughout their childhood, the Wright brothers were inseparable.
As Wilbur once remarked, "From the time we were little children, my brother Orville and myself lived together, played together, worked together, and, in fact, thought together." Despite being good students, neither of the Wright brothers completed high school or received formal education in science and engineering.
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“ She followed all my directions. It was really easy to contact her and respond very fast as well. ”
However, they possessed innate mechanical aptitude and well-honed problem-solving skills, nurtured by their parents, Milton Wright and Susan Koerner.
In 1878, after their father returned from a business trip, he gave them a Pénaud helicopter toy. This simple toy, constructed of cork, bamboo, and thin paper, operated using a rubber band mechanism and sparked the young Wright brothers' curiosity about flight. They began crafting their versions of the helicopter and exploring ways to create flying machines.
During their youth, Orville started a small business making kites for his friends.
His kites featured unique designs with curved and thinner ribs, which enabled them to outperform kites with thicker ribs. Despite their early fascination with flight, the Wright brothers temporarily set aside their dreams of achieving human flight. Wilbur chose to stay home to care for his terminally ill mother, preventing him from pursuing further education. Meanwhile, Orville, who had initially aspired to attend Yale, abandoned his college ambitions due to a minor accident that damaged his front teeth, shattering his confidence.
In 1889, Orville dropped out of high school and, with Wilbur's assistance, built a printing press. They ventured into the printing business, publishing a newspaper that ceased publication after a little over a year. Following the newspaper's failure, the brothers shifted their focus to commercial printing.
Notably, one of their prominent clients was Paul Laurence Dunbar, an old classmate of Orville's who later became a renowned African-American poet and writer. For a brief period, the Wright brothers published the Dayton Tattler, a paper edited by Dunbar. In 1892, the invention of the safety bicycle triggered a national bicycle craze. Recognizing an opportunity, the Wright brothers established the Wright Cycle Exchange, also known as the Wright Cycle Company. By 1896, they were designing and manufacturing their brand of bicycles, which generated significant profits, setting the stage for their renewed interest in flight.
The Wright brothers' journey into the world of aeronautics began when Wilbur read about the flight attempts of renowned scientists like Otto Lilienthal, Samuel Langley, and Octave Chanute. In May of 1899, Wilbur wrote a letter to the Smithsonian Institution, requesting information and publications about aeronautics. Armed with knowledge from pioneers such as Sir George Cayley, Chanute, Lilienthal, Leonardo da Vinci, and Langley, the Wright brothers embarked on their aeronautical experiments.
They initiated their work in the back of their bicycle workshop, recognizing that control was the paramount concern in achieving powered flight. They believed that a pilot needed to have precise control over a flying machine once it was in the air. This control encompassed managing yaw (left-to-right movement), roll (side-to-side tilting), and pitch (upward and downward movement). To unravel this challenge, they turned to nature, studying the flight of birds for inspiration. They observed that birds adjusted their wing positions by curving one wing upward and the other downward to control their flight path. However, replicating this effect with artificial wings remained a puzzle.
One day, while Wilbur was demonstrating an inner tube to a customer, he accidentally recreated the curvature of a bird's wings by bending one part upward and the other part downward. He shared this insight with Orville, leading them to design a two-winged glider capable of flexing, akin to the inner tube's motion. Before constructing a full-scale glider, they tested their wing-warping concept using a five-foot-long kite in August 1899. Employing intricate mechanisms, the Wright brothers successfully manipulated the wings and controlled the kite's flight direction.
To further test their glider designs, Wilbur corresponded with the U.S. Weather Bureau, inquiring about locations with consistently strong and steady winds. They selected Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, due to its proximity to their home in Dayton, Ohio. In this coastal region, the Wright brothers began experimenting with various gliders, assisted by the local postmaster, Bill Tate, and his brother Dan. Their testing involved launching gliders from the sand dunes near Kitty Hawk.
Despite their best efforts, most of the early glider trials resulted in crashes. In 1900, the Wright brothers decided to test a glider capable of carrying a human passenger, although neither brother piloted it. Instead, they added weights to the glider and placed Tom Tate, Dan's ten-year-old son, in the passenger seat. With Wilbur controlling the glider from the ground using kite wires, they launched it off a sand dune. In October of the same year, during their first trip to Kitty Hawk, Wilbur finally piloted one of their gliders, soaring over three sand dunes while assessing the controls. The successful control of the glider marked a significant breakthrough, but it was time for them to return to Ohio, leaving their glider behind.
Upon their departure, Bill Tate's wife repurposed the glider's wing coverings to make dresses for her daughters, symbolizing the fleeting nature of their initial accomplishments. The Wright brothers returned to Kitty Hawk in the summer of 1901, having created their most substantial glider yet. However, this season brought a host of new challenges, including encounters with wild pigs, mice, mosquitoes, and sand fleas, as documented in Orville's letters to his younger sister, Katharine.
Despite the adversities they faced, their nieces and nephews eagerly awaited mail from the Wright brothers. They received a package containing a dried horseshoe crab, bottles of salty seawater, and fine seashore sand, showcasing the brothers' unwavering enthusiasm for their experiments. Despite the setbacks and disappointments, the Wright brothers persisted in their pursuit of powered flight, buoyed by letters of encouragement from their friend Octave Chanute. They realized that their initial calculations for wing shapes might have been flawed, prompting them to revise their approach. This revision led to the measurement of how air pressure and airflow affected various wing shapes, with the Wright brothers becoming the first to explore this facet of aeronautics.
Recognizing the need for more precise experimentation, the Wright brothers constructed a six-foot wind tunnel to study the effects of air pressure and flow on wings. Prior to this, they attempted to gather data by attaching wings to a bicycle and riding it along the street, a method fraught with challenges, including the difficulty of recording accurate calculations while maintaining balance. The wind tunnel provided a controlled environment for rigorous testing and refined their understanding of aerodynamics.
The Wright brothers made exceptional strides in aeronautics by harnessing the power of scientific experimentation. Utilizing their wind tunnel, they meticulously tested over 200 different designs, making astute observations and keeping detailed notes during each trial. These experiments proved pivotal in refining their understanding of aerodynamics and air pressure.
To their astonishment, their research yielded results that challenged conventional wisdom. While many believed that a wing with a sharp front edge would enhance its ability to cut through the air, the Wright brothers discovered that a contrary approach was more effective. Their findings revealed that a blunt, rounded front edge, combined with a sharp rear edge, produced greater lift and improved overall design efficiency.
Armed with their newfound knowledge and more accurate tables of air pressure, the Wright brothers set out to construct a new and improved glider. In this model, they shifted the peak of the wing's arc closer to the front, further refining their aerodynamic design.
In September of 1902, they returned to the Atlantic shore near Kitty Hawk. Wilbur took on the role of instructor, teaching Orville the intricacies of piloting their glider. During initial flights, the glider experienced difficulties and fell into the sand. However, the Wright brothers were not disheartened; instead, they diligently made repairs to the wings and implemented changes to the wing-warping mechanism. These modifications significantly enhanced the glider's stability and its ability to remain airborne.
During this period, their experiments drew the attention of aviation enthusiasts such as Octave Chanute and Augustus Herring, who came to witness the trials but were unable to achieve successful flights with their own gliders.
Encouraged by the success of their glider experiments, the Wright brothers set their sights on building a self-propelled flying machine. In the winter of 1902 and early 1903, they dedicated their efforts to constructing a motor and propellers for this ambitious endeavor. Brimming with confidence in their machine's potential, they aptly named it the "Flyer."
Contrary to prevailing propeller design principles, the Wright brothers applied their curved and rounded edge approach to the Flyer's propellers. They mounted one propeller on each side of the Flyer, positioning them behind the wings to assist in propulsion. The decision to build their engine arose from the unavailability of suitable engines from the automobile companies they had contacted. With the assistance of their bicycle mechanic, Charlie Taylor, they meticulously crafted an aluminum engine tailored to the Flyer's requirements.
With the engine completed, the propellers in place, and the wings fully constructed, the only remaining challenge was to see if their machine could indeed achieve powered flight. The components of the Flyer were shipped to Kitty Hawk in the fall of 1903, where it was reassembled in one of the two wooden hangars the Wright brothers had constructed near the sand dunes.
To reduce friction during flight, the top and bottom surfaces of each wing were covered with cloth. The engine was positioned on the lower right side of the pilot's seat, with the pilot using hip movements to control the warp of the wings and the rudder. The front elevator wings were hand-operated, and the engine had a simple on/off mechanism, providing no means to control the Flyer's speed. Instead of wheels, the Flyer was equipped with skids to facilitate landing.
However, their plans for the first powered flight faced a setback when a severe storm in 1903 delayed their attempts. It was not until December 14, 1903, on a cold and windy morning, that the Wright brothers, accompanied by helpers from Kill Devil Hills Lifesaver Corps, attempted to achieve their long-anticipated flight.
The Flyer was transported to Big Kill Devil Hill, the tallest sand dune in the area. As the Flyer was positioned for takeoff, the winds blew at a mere 5 miles per hour, an insufficient speed to support the weight of the 604-pound flying machine and its pilot. Despite the unfavorable conditions, Wilbur won the coin toss and took the first flight.
During takeoff, Wilbur encountered challenges as the wind blew from the side, and the track was not straight. Orville and their helpers struggled to keep the Flyer on the track as it descended the hill. Once airborne, Wilbur used the elevator wings to gain altitude, inadvertently slowing the Flyer's progress. After a flight of just 15 feet in the air, the Flyer stalled and crashed into the sand dunes, sustaining minor damage.
Undeterred by this initial setback, the Wright brothers worked tirelessly for two days to repair the Flyer. On December 17, 1903, they resolved to try again, with wind speeds now ranging from 20 to 25 miles per hour. This time, it was Orville's turn to pilot the Flyer.
With assistance from surfmen Willie Dough, Adam Etheridge, John Daniels, W. C. Brinkley, and a boy named Jonny Moore, the Flyer was prepared for flight. At 10:35 in the morning, Orville signaled to his helpers, and the Flyer began its ascent. As the Flyer took to the air, John Daniels captured the historic moment with his camera, forever preserving the image of the Flyer's inaugural powered flight.
Wilbur ran alongside the Flyer as Orville controlled the aircraft. However, they faced challenges as the elevator wings over-responded to corrections, and a skid cracked and detached from the plane, causing a descent and a crash. Despite these difficulties, the flight lasted a mere twelve seconds. Nevertheless, the Flyer had achieved several monumental feats: it had taken off from ground level, flown under its own power, and landed at the same elevation from which it had departed. The Wright brothers had made history with the first powered flight.
Subsequently, the Wright brothers diligently repaired the Flyer. During Wilbur's flight, he covered 175 feet in 15 seconds, and Orville managed 200 feet in a similar time frame during his second flight. With each subsequent flight, they extended their distance and duration. In their fourth flight, Orville piloted the Flyer for 852 feet, maintaining flight for a remarkable fifty-nine seconds.
As they planned for additional flights in the following week, a sudden gust of wind unexpectedly lifted the Flyer. John Daniels, attempting to control it, became entangled in the wires, leading to a crash on the beach. After rescuing Daniels from the wreckage, they sent a telegram to their father, announcing their success and imminent return home for Christmas.
Upon their return to Dayton, Ohio, the Wright brothers continued to refine their designs and developed improved versions of the original Flyer. Their pioneering work in aviation laid the foundation for modern aeronautics, revolutionizing travel and enabling technology with far-reaching impacts. The invention of the airplane has transformed long-distance travel, allowing thousands to journey across vast distances in minimal time. Moreover, airplanes have assumed a critical role in military operations, altering the course of warfare.
In the annals of human history, there exist rare individuals whose unwavering determination, relentless curiosity, and sheer audacity propel them into the realm of legend. Among these luminaries stand Wilbur and Orville Wright, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, who dared to dream of soaring through the skies and transformed that dream into reality. Their remarkable journey, spanning from humble beginnings to the sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, epitomizes the power of human ingenuity and persistence.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were not distinguished by formal education or specialized training in the fields of science and engineering. Instead, they possessed an innate curiosity, innate problem-solving skills, and an unshakeable bond as brothers and collaborators. Their early years were marked by a shared fascination with mechanical devices, kindled by their parents' encouragement and the gift of a Pénaud helicopter. From these humble beginnings, the Wright brothers embarked on a path that would forever alter the course of history.
Their journey was marked by a series of pivotal moments. From their bicycle sales and repair shop in Dayton, they ventured into the burgeoning bicycle craze, designing and manufacturing their own bicycles. Their successful business endeavors provided the financial means to fund their rekindled interest in flight. Inspired by the pioneering work of aviation luminaries such as Otto Lilienthal, Samuel Langley, and Octave Chanute, the Wright brothers immersed themselves in the study of aeronautics.
Through rigorous experimentation, meticulous research, and the construction of a groundbreaking wind tunnel, the Wright brothers revolutionized the understanding of aerodynamics. Their discovery that a blunt, round front edge coupled with a sharp rear edge produced more lift challenged prevailing beliefs. Armed with this new knowledge and a series of glider tests, they refined their designs, propelling themselves ever closer to their audacious goal of powered flight.
On December 17, 1903, in a historic moment witnessed by a few onlookers at Kitty Hawk, the Wright brothers' Flyer lifted off the ground, marking the first powered, controlled, and sustained flight in history. Although the initial flight lasted a mere twelve seconds and covered a distance of 120 feet, it heralded a new era of aviation and forever changed the way humanity traversed the globe.
But the Wright brothers' journey did not end there. They continued to refine their designs, capture the world's imagination with airplane demonstrations in Washington D.C. and France, and push the boundaries of what was believed possible in aviation. Their inventions and discoveries laid the very foundation of modern aeronautics, enabling rapid long-distance travel and reshaping the dynamics of war.
The legacy of Wilbur and Orville Wright extends far beyond their pioneering flights and technological innovations. Their story serves as an enduring testament to the power of persistence, the pursuit of knowledge, and the unwavering belief in the attainability of dreams. The Wright brothers reached for the sky and, in doing so, inspired generations of innovators and aviators to do the same.
The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of Aviation. (2020, Oct 23). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-wright-brothers-great-innovators-of-flight-essay
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