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Wright Brothers Facts & Worksheets

Orville and Wilbur Wright, known as the Wright Brothers, were American pioneers in aviation widely acknowledged for conceiving, constructing, and piloting the first airplane that achieved global success. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Flyer achieved the inaugural controlled and sustained flight of an engine-powered aircraft heavier than air.

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Orville and Wilbur Wright, known as the Wright Brothers, were American pioneers in aviation widely acknowledged for conceiving, constructing, and piloting the first airplane that achieved global success. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Flyer achieved the inaugural controlled and sustained flight of an engine-powered aircraft heavier than air. This historic event took place four miles (6 km) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at the present-day location known as Kill Devil Hills.

See the fact file below for more information on the Wright Brothers or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Wright Brothers worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

  • Wilbur and Orville Wright were two of seven children of Milton Wright, a clergyman of English and Dutch ancestry, and Susan Catherine Koerner, of German and Swiss ancestry.
  • The sibling’s paternal grandmother was a descendant of the Vanderbilt family, one of the wealthiest families in the United States (US). 
  • None of Milton’s children had middle names. Instead, he gave them distinct names. Wilbur was given the name “Wilbur Fisk” in honor of the clergyman Wilbur Fisk, whom Milton Wright greatly respected. Similarly, Orville was named after the clergyman Orville Dewey, who also earned Milton Wright’s admiration.
  • Due to Milton’s duties as a bishop, the young Orville and Wilbur, together with their siblings, frequently moved before settling in Dayton in 1884. 
  • Orville was expelled from grade school at a young age. The Wright brothers had their first experience in a helicopter when their father gifted them one when they were young.
  • The toy helicopter was about one foot long and made of paper, bamboo, and cork with a rubber band. 
  • When they broke the toy helicopter, the young Wright brothers built a new one, sparking their interest in helicopters and flying.

BEGINNINGS IN AVIATION

  • Orville and Wilbur enrolled in high school, although they failed to obtain diplomas. Due to an unexpected relocation in 1884, the family abruptly moved from Richmond, Indiana, to Dayton, Ohio, where they had resided in the 1870s. As a result, Wilbur could only obtain his high school diploma after completing four years of education. Wilbur spent years taking care of his mother, who had acute tuberculosis. Orville discontinued his high school education following his third year to establish a printing enterprise in 1889, utilizing the assistance of Wilbur to design and construct his printing machine.
  • The Wright brothers launched the West Side News, a weekly newspaper. They later converted the paper to The Evening Item, a daily newspaper, which unfortunately lasted only four months. After this event, they capitalized on a repair sales shop, the Wright Cycle Exchange, which provided repairs and assistance for people who owned bicycles. In 1896, they launched their own brand of bicycles. They used their business as a stepping stone to fund their interest in flight. 
  • The death of British aviator Percy Pilcher in yet another hang gliding accident in October 1899 solidified the Wright brothers’ belief that a dependable means of pilot control was crucial for achieving successful and secure flying.
  • Wilbur deduced from his observations that birds alter the orientation of the tips of their wings to induce a rolling motion in their bodies, either to the right or to the left. The brothers concluded that imitating how birds bank or lean into turns would be an effective method for a flying vehicle to maneuver. They drew a parallel to riding a bicycle, an activity they were familiar with. Additionally, they anticipated that this approach would facilitate recovery if the wind caused the machine to lean to one side (lateral imbalance). 
    • Wright Glider
        • The Wright brothers meticulously devised, constructed, and piloted three manned gliders between 1900 and 1902 as they diligently pursued the goal of attaining powered flight. In 1899, they conducted initial testing using a kite. In 1911, Orville began experiments with a significantly more advanced glider. Neither the kite nor any of the gliders were conserved. However, copies of all of them have been constructed.
    • Wright Flyer
      • The Wright Flyer, also called the Kitty Hawk, Flyer I, or the 1903 Flyer, achieved the inaugural sustained flight by a human-crewed, powered, and controlled aircraft, commonly known as an airplane, on December 17, 1903. 
      • The Wright brothers conducted four aircraft flights in an area currently incorporated into the community of Kill Devil Hills, situated approximately 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 
      • On its fourth and last flight, the aircraft covered a distance of 852 feet (260 meters). However, it sustained damage upon landing and disintegrated within minutes due to strong gusts that caused it to overturn.

EUROPEAN PERCEPTIONS

  • In 1906, critics within the European aviation fraternity successfully influenced the press to adopt an unfavorable view toward the Wright brothers. European newspapers, particularly those in France, publicly mocked them, labeling them impostors. 
  • Ernest Archdeacon, the founder of the Aéro-Club de France, openly expressed contempt for the brothers’ assertions despite the published reports. He articulated his skepticism through multiple publications and boldly said in 1906 that the French would be the first to showcase powered flight publicly.

PUBLIC SHOWING

  • The brothers’ agreements with the United States Army and a French syndicate hinged on the accomplishment of public flying demonstrations that satisfied specific requirements. The brothers had to allocate their efforts. Wilbur embarked on a voyage to Europe, while Orville conducted flights close to Washington, DC. 
  • Wilbur encountered much doubt within the French aeronautical community and was openly ridiculed by several media, which labeled him a bluffer. Nonetheless, he commenced official public demonstrations on August 8, 1908, at the Hunaudières horse racing track near Le Mans, France.
  • During Wilbur’s initial flight, which lasted a mere 1 minute and 45 seconds, he astounded and astonished spectators, including notable French aviators such as Louis Blériot, with his remarkable skill in executing banking maneuvers and effortlessly flying in a circular path. Over the next few days, Wilbur executed a sequence of technically demanding flights, such as figure-eights, showcasing his piloting prowess and the exceptional capabilities of his aircraft, which were greatly beyond those of all other pioneering planes and aviators at that time.

LATER YEARS

Wilbur

  • Wilbur stopped flying after providing a short instruction trip to a German pilot in Berlin in June 1911. He gradually became engrossed in the business affairs of the Wright Company and handled many legal disputes. Before his demise, Wilbur embarked on a year-long journey, during which he dedicated a complete half-year to caring for diverse commercial and legal affairs in Europe. Wilbur advocated for American communities to adopt the European approach, namely the Parisian idea of allocating ample public space around significant public structures.
  • In April 1912, he fell ill during a business trip to Boston. The cause is occasionally attributed to contaminated shellfish he consumed at a feast. Upon his arrival in Dayton in early May 1912, exhausted both mentally and physically, he experienced a relapse and was subsequently diagnosed with typhoid fever.

Orville

  • In 1918, Orville flew for the last time as a pilot using a 1911 Model B aircraft. After leaving his corporate career, he transitioned into a respected and influential figure in the aviation field. He had roles on various significant boards and committees, including the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce (ACCA).
  • Orville Wright was a member of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) for 28 years. Orville passed away at the age of 76 on January 30, 1948, more than 35 years after his brother, as a result of a second heart attack. He lived from the era of horse-drawn carriages to the beginning of supersonic flight.

Wright Brothers Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Wright Brothers across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Wright Brothers worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Wright Brothers. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Flyer achieved the inaugural controlled and sustained flight of an engine-powered aircraft heavier than air. This historic event took place four miles (6 km) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at the present-day location known as Kill Devil Hills.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Wright Brothers Facts
  2. Aviation Profile
  3. Thumbs Up or Down
  4. Wright Timeline
  5. Journey to the Skies
  6. Compare and Contrast
  7. Pros and Cons
  8. Improvements
  9. My Creation
  10. The Start
  11. A Short Essay

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the Wright brothers?

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, were American aviation pioneers credited with inventing, building, and flying the world’s first successful airplane. They achieved the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903.

Where did the Wright brothers make their historic flight?

The Wright brothers made their historic flight on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their aircraft, the Wright Flyer, flew for 12 seconds, covering a distance of 120 feet (36 meters).

What was the key breakthrough invention by the Wright brothers?

The Wright brothers’ key breakthrough was the creation of a three-axis control system. This system allowed the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and maintain its equilibrium. Their control system made fixed-wing powered flight possible and remains standard on airplanes today.

Who made the first successful flight, Orville or Wilbur?

Orville Wright made the first successful flight. He piloted the Wright Flyer on that historic day in 1903, achieving powered flight for the first time in history.

What influenced the Wright brothers’ approach to flight?

Unlike other experimenters of their time who focused on powerful engines, the Wright brothers emphasized developing a reliable method of pilot control. Their work with bicycles and accurate data collection in a home-built wind tunnel influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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