Wednesday, December 17th, is National Wright Brothers Day. Established in 1963 by Congress through a joint resolution, “Wright Brothers Day” is used to honor the brothers’ first successful powered flight that changed the history of aviation as we know it.
Orville and Wilbur Wright were American aviation pioneers credited with inventing and flying the world’s first successful airplane. Orville’s first flight was made on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It lasted 12 seconds and 120 feet around the site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial in the Outer Banks.
While the brothers were not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, they were the first to invent aircraft controls. Their breakthrough invention was their creation of a three-axis control system, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and maintain its equilibrium. Their system of aircraft controls made fix-wing powered flight possible and remains standard on airplanes of all kinds.
We’re thankful for the Wright Brothers, and everyone along the way who contributed to the invention of human flight. Without their knowledge and ingenuity, our helicopters wouldn’t be possible. Join us in using the hashtag #WrightBrothersDay on social media to pay homage all day through.