1903 Wright Flyer

The Wright brothers inaugurated the aerial age with the world's first successful flights of a powered heavier-than-air flying machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903. The historic first flight of the Wright Flyer lasted 12 seconds, traveling 36 m (120 ft), with Orville piloting. The best flight of the four flights that day, with Wilbur at the controls, covered 255.6 m (852 ft) in 59 seconds. Highlighted in this image is the engine of the 1903 Wright Flyer.