Regardless of the Wright brothers’ success on Kill Devil Hill, “their simple story was either being ignored, misunderstood, or misrepresented” (Kirk, 1995, p. 194). So the duo completely devoted themselves to flight, moved all operations to their hometown in Ohio, and applied for patents to protect their inventions (Historynet, 2014). In 1905, the brothers reached another milestone in aviation history with sustaining powered and maneuverable flight for almost forty minutes and traveling twenty-four miles (Kirk, 1995). After years of scrutiny and disbelief, in 1908 the Wright brothers were finally recognized worldwide for their accomplishments. Wilbur amazed the people of France, as mentioned in French newspapers that his flying “was not a success: it was a triumph!” (Historynet, 2014). Orville performed his successful experiments at Fort Myer, VA, and proved that the aircraft could carry other passengers (Historynet, 2014).
Even though the Wright brothers’ groundbreaking achievements were not immediately recognized, they continue to improve on sustainable powered flight. The years following the experiments at Kitty Hawk were filled with disappointment, hardships, legal battles, and finally success and worldwide acclaim. In 1912, Wilbur Wright died of typhoid fever at the age of 45. Orville stopped all exploration of aviation and Wright inventions for the remainder of that year and piloted an aircraft for the last time in 1918. In 1948, at the age of 77, Orville Wright passed away (Historynet, 2014). The Wright brothers are immortalized in history as the fathers of aviation. They challenged the odds and made powered flight a reality. The Wright brothers also brought the study of aeronautical engineering to the world changing transportation and science forever.
Below is a short clip of the 1909 Flyer in action.
Below is a short clip of the 1909 Flyer in action.