Wright Brothers Flights Of 1909
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, invented the modern aeroplane. Responsible for the first controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight on 17 December 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they made a number of other flights that played an important part in the history of aviation. This entry details the somewhat less well-known, but altogether still important flights of late September and early October 1909.
After news of their successes in flight had grown, Wilbur was approached by the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Committee, a New York group whose purpose was to celebrate 300 years of history, including Henry Hudson discovering Manhattan and Robert Fulton testing the steam engine. The committee wanted the Wrights to demonstrate flights over the water around New York City. Orville was in Germany, so Wilbur would do the flights alone.
It was an interesting trip, and at times rather exciting.
Wilbur Wright to his father Bishop WrightRead more about Wright Brothers Flights Of 1909: The Flights
Famous quotes containing the words wright, brothers and/or flights:
“It is in vain that we would circumscribe the power of one half of our race, and that half by far the most important and influential. If they exert it not for good, they will for evil; if they advance not knowledge, they will perpetuate ignorance. Let women stand where they may in the scale of improvement, their position decides that of the race.”
—Frances Wright (1795–1852)
“Come, dear children, let us away;
Down and away below!
Now my brothers call from the bay,
Now the great winds shoreward blow,
Now the salt tides seaward flow;
Now the wild white horses play,
Champ and chafe and toss in the spray.”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“Franklin said once in one of his inspired flights of malignity—
Early to bed and early to rise
Make a man healthy and wealth and wise.
As if it were any object to a boy to be healthy and wealthy and wise on such terms.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)