Wilbur and Orville Wright were born in Ohio in 1867 and 1871 respectively. Their early childhoods consisted of peaceful and empty days, and they filled their free time with flying kites; this would dictate the course of their entire lives. Their childhood love of flying paired with their experience as bicycle mechanics would later envelope their adult lives as well. During the years of working in their bicycle shop, they built their "aeroplane" and successfully flew it in 1903 after struggling for several years with research, construction, and many doubters; however, they did not receive the credit they deserved for being the first men to truly fly a controlled and powered flight until 1908, two years after a respected scientific journal published an article on their flight. After their newfound success in 1908, the brothers opened a flying school to train aspiring aviators and pilots. Orville sold his patents soon following Wilbur's death in 1912, and lived to see their creation blossom into a global masterpiece.
|