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Wright Brothers Open a Bike Shop
The Wright Brothers
The Wright brothers shared a passion for bicycles - a new craze that was sweeping the United States. In 1892 Wilbur and Orville opened a bike shop, the Wright Cycle Company, fixing and selling bicycles. -
Brothers Begin Manufacturing Bicycles
Wright Bros. Bike Co.
The Wright brothers began manufacturing their own bicycle designs and used the profits to fund their growing interest in aviation. Their bicycle shop can still be visited to this day in Dayton, OH. -
Wilbur Wright Begins Research
Wilbur wrote a letter to the Smithsonian Institute requesting information on aeronautics, and he and his brother began drawing up designs for gliders. -
Glider 1 Tests
The brothers travelled to Kitty Hawk, where they held all th their flying tests, and began conducting their first flying experiments. In the first glider test on Glider 1, Wilbur was aboard while the glider flew as a kite not far above the ground with men below holding tether ropes. -
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Glider 2 Tests
In 1901, the brothers made several successful flights with the Glider 2 over the course of the summer. -
Glider 2 Tests
The second glider improved the lift of the first with its wider wing area. The glider stalled a few times, but the parachute effect of the forward elevator allowed Wilbur to make a safe flat landing, instead of a nose-dive as they had previously done in the first flyer. -
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1902 Glider Tests
During this period, the Brothers made between 700 and 1,000 glides, the longest lasting 26 seconds and covering 622.5 feet -
1902 Glider
The brothers built an improved glider in 1902, with better wing shape and design. Both were able to achieve true control of the aircraft at Kitty Hawk in October, a huge step towards achieving true flight. -
Wright Flyer 1 is Built
The brothers built their first powered glider, the Wright Flyer I, using their preferred material for construction, spruce, a strong and lightweight wood, and Pride of the West muslin for surface coverings. -
First succesful flight
Glider 3
Orville Wright piloted the first flight, which lasted just 12 seconds. There were three more successful flights, witnessed by five people. On the fourth and final flight of the day, Wilbur Wright flew for 59 seconds. That day the Wright Brothers became the first people to demonstrate sustained flight of a heavier-than-air machine under the complete control of the pilot. -
European Skepticism
The people of Europe had a difficult time believing the Wright Brothers had indeed invented a successful flying machine. So in order to prove their abilities and sell more gliders, in May 1908, Wilbur Wright went to Europe and made over 200 flights around the continent, dazzling the citizens with his aeronautical abilities -
The Wright Company
Finally, in 1910, the Wright Brothers opened their aviation company, the Wright Company, in the United States, and began manufacturing their first airplane type, the Wright Model B.
