| The "Tarheel State" of North Carolina has an unusual | | | | maintaining the flying machine. |
| boast. The state is home to the very first airplane flight, | | | | This flying machine was considerably heavier than the |
| made on the sandy hills of the tiny town of Kitty Hawk | | | | earlier models of the Wright flyers. It was 125 pounds |
| on the chain of Barrier Islands known as the Outer | | | | heavier than what the brothers actually wanted it to |
| Banks. Brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright may have | | | | be. Because of its weight, the plane could not be |
| lived in Ohio, but they took their flying contraption south | | | | launched like the earlier versions and required the |
| in hopes of making it fly! | | | | building of a 15-foot launching rail to catapult it on its |
| The Wright brothers owned a bicycle shop in the town | | | | trajectory. They jokingly called it "Grand Junction |
| of Dayton, Ohio when the notion struck them to | | | | Railroad". |
| develop a flying machine. After a great many designs | | | | The brothers then had to postpone their regular tests |
| and problems, the duo completed their famous "Wright | | | | because of the inclement weather in the late fall and |
| Flyer" using wood, metal, and canvas stretched across | | | | early winter of 1903. This lead them to doubt whether |
| the wings. In order to fly the plane, the pilot must lay | | | | they will at all be able to achieve their intended test |
| flat on his stomach to steer the controls. | | | | flight that year. Things however changed for the better |
| Building a newfangled flying contraption was quite | | | | soon, enabling Wright brothers to start testing again |
| strenuous and time consuming, taking the Wright | | | | and take their historic flight. |
| brothers from approximately 1899 until 1903 to figure | | | | Finally on 17th December 1903 the brothers were |
| out the proper aerodynamics necessary to create an | | | | succesful in realising their long cherished goal. After |
| airplane. Even after their historic flight, the brothers kept | | | | doing a toss to decide on who would pilot the airplane, |
| working on the design until 1905, when the pair created | | | | Orville got into the machine to fly off at 10.35 am. |
| the first practical airplane. Building these monsters was | | | | Inspite of cold weather the fight was successful and |
| certainly a family affair, as the Wright sister helped the | | | | lasted for 12 seconds. The plane travelled a mere 120 |
| boys sew and stretch the canvas across the wing's | | | | feet but it was enough to put the brothers and their |
| fame. | | | | flying machine into history books for eternity. |
| The Wright brothers visited Kitty hawk many times | | | | After the initial flight, the brothers went on to make |
| before they actually completed their flying machine. | | | | three additional flights, with Wilbur piloting the longest |
| They went to the North Carolina coast and tested | | | | course, staying in the air for 59 minutes and covering |
| gliders to get a better idea of aerodynamics. Finally, | | | | 852 feet. The great state of North Carolina bore silent |
| they left for Kitty Hawk in Spetember 1903 to take | | | | witness to this feat of engineering and man on a cold |
| their first test flight. They have now become well | | | | December day. Today, a monument to the Wright |
| versed in local topography and often used the | | | | Brothers sits on top of the hill that saw their first flight |
| services of local people to help them in towing and | | | | in Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina. |