Wright Flyer

Technology Demonstrator Aircraft

United States | 1903

"The Wright Brothers completed hundreds of hours of flying when attempting to perfect their heavier-than-air machines."

A Wright Flyer hanging in the entrance hall of the Smithsonian; color

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/21/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Though the prospect of manned flight had been around for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years, it would be the Wright Brothers - Orville and Wilbur - that would put theory to practice and produce the first in a series of heavier-than-air aircraft systems capable of sustained flight and pilot-controlled. The Wright Flyers were actually a successive series of aircraft designed from lessons learned in their previous attempts and on that day in Kill Devil Hills of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers name would forever become synonymous with powered flight.

The Wright Flyers appeared in three forms known simply as the Flyer I, Flyer II and Flyer III, each indicating a successive design based on the previous. The original Flyer I (sometimes known simplify as "Flyer") appeared in 1903 in December and completed four flights with its 12hp Wright-designed engine driving two twin-blade propeller systems turning in opposite directions. The flight lasted only 12 seconds and covered just 120 feet but, 100 hundred years later, the brothers would be celebrated for bringing man in the world of manned aviation.

Flyer II appeared in 1904 and was very similar to Flyer I, though some design changes occurred to the wing structure and a 15hp engine was utilized. Naturally, the one-man Flyer II more in the way of progress as the Wright Brothers began to hone their expertise on creating a controllable system. Some 80 total flights would be achieved with Flyer II.

Flyer III appeared in 1905 and was really the definitive system in the series - anything close to resembling a controlled airborne vehicle. Similar once again to the preceding design (in this case the Flyer II), the Flyer III featured revised pilot controls and, as a result, improved handling and maneuverability. The Flyer III achieved some noteworthy statistics that would include a distance record of some 24 miles in nearly 40 minutes. Flyer III would complete 40 flights.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Wright Flyer I Technology Demonstrator Aircraft.

1 x Wright Brother's water-cooled inline engine developing 12 horsepower and driving 2 x Two-blade propeller units in pusher configuration at rear of airframe.
Propulsion

30 mph
48 kph | 26 kts
Max Speed

30 ft
9 m | 0 miles
Service Ceiling

162 miles
260 km | 140 nm
Operational Range

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Wright Flyer I Technology Demonstrator Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

21.0 ft
6.41 m
O/A Length

40.3 ft
(12.29 m)
O/A Width

564 lb
(256 kg)
Empty Weight

750 lb
(340 kg)
MTOW

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Wright Flyer family line.

Wright Flyer I - Appearing in 1903; fitted with 12hp Wright Brother's engine; twin "pusher" propellers.

Wright Flyer II - Appearing in 1904; revised wings; fitted with 15hp engine.

Wright Flyer III - Appearing in 1905

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Wright Flyer. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 3 Units
Contractor(s): Orville and Wilbur Wright (Wrigth Bros) - USA

[ United States ]

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A Wright Flyer hanging in the entrance hall of the Smithsonian; color

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Front view of the Wright Flyer on display; color

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Front left side view of the Wright Flyer on display; color

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Low-angled right underside front view of the Wright Flyer B; color

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A Wright Flyer passes nearby American homes

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Close-up view of the passing Wright Flyer

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Rear view of a Wright Flyer showcasing the twin propeller arrangement

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The Wright Flyer goes airborne

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Going Further...
The Wright Flyer Technology Demonstrator Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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