The Wright Brothers
Once upon a time, in the mid-1800s, two young brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, lived in the United States. Orville was 7 years old, and Wilbur was 11. One day, their father gave them a small flying toy made of paper, cork, and bamboo. It had a rubber band that powered its blades. The boys were fascinated by how the toy flew through the air. They spent hours playing with it and dreamed of creating something similar that could carry people into the sky.
Even as children, the Wright brothers began working towards their dream. Orville started selling kites to raise money, while Wilbur immersed himself in books, studying how birds flew. Their passion for flight only grew stronger as they got older.
The Journey to Flight
Years later, the brothers built their first glider, a large kite-like structure. For a brief moment, it allowed a person to fly for about ten seconds. Despite many failures, they did not give up. After countless modifications and experiments, Wilbur finally managed to fly 852 feet in 59 seconds—a significant achievement at the time.
Inspired by birds, they studied how wings angle for balance and power. Using this idea, they developed a concept called “wing warping.” They also built a portable rudder, created an efficient propeller, and designed a lightweight engine to power their invention.
The First Airplane Flight
In December 1903, the Wright brothers were ready to test their first airplane, which they called the Flyer. To decide who would pilot the first attempt, they tossed a coin. Wilbur won the toss but failed on his first try.
Three days later, on December 17, 1903, it was Orville’s turn. He piloted the Flyer for 12 seconds, covering a distance of 120 feet. This marked the first powered flight in human history.
Their success didn’t stop there. The Wright brothers secretly built a more advanced plane that could fly 25 miles at a speed of 40 miles per hour. In 1908, a reporter noticed their talent, and the world finally recognized their groundbreaking achievement.
A Legacy That Soars
Their father had one strict rule: the brothers were never allowed to fly together, to ensure the safety of at least one of them. But there was one exception. When Orville was 82 years old, he took their father up in the sky for the first time. To everyone’s amazement, the elderly man urged his son to take the plane even higher!
The Wright brothers’ legacy lives on. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared August 10, Orville Wright’s birthday, as National Aviation Day. Decades later, Neil Armstrong carried a small piece of the Flyer to the moon, a tribute to the pioneers who first made human flight a reality.
Moral of the Story
Dreams can take flight with perseverance, creativity, and hard work.
