Wright Flyer III: 24-Mile Flight Sets World Record
The Wright Flyer III was the world's first practical airplane, capable of sustained controlled flight in circles, figure eights, and banking turns. On October 5, 1905, Wilbur Wright flew it for 39 minutes covering 24.5 miles over Huffman Prairie near Dayton, Ohio. Then the brothers grounded it for two years. They feared competitors would steal their design and refused to demonstrate publicly until they had signed contracts with both the U.S. Army and a French syndicate. The hiatus meant almost no one witnessed their achievements, and many European aviation pioneers simply didn't believe the claims. When they finally flew publicly in 1908, the demonstrations at Le Mans stunned the French aviation community and made the Wrights internationally famous overnight.
October 5, 1905
121 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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