FIRST FLIGHT

  In the United States two brothers Orville (1871 - 1948) and Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) became interested in aviation when they read about the gliding experiments of Otto Lilienthal in Germany. while running a cycle manufacture and repair business they began building and flying gliders.

In 1903 they constructed an aeroplane fitted with a 12- horse power petrol engine, which was successfully flown by Orville, Later in that year near Kitty Hawk, north Carolina - the first controlled fight made by man in a heavier - than-air machine they went on to build other aeroplanes and in 1905 had a machine which could stay airborne for more than thirty minutes at a time. wilbur wright toured Europe where he made pioneering fights with their aeroplanes in Britain, France and Italy and in 1909 the brothers formed their own aircraft production company. after wilbur's death Orville devoted most of his life to research.