The Invention of the First Flying Airplane: Aviation History Essay

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the Wright brothers' invention of the first flying airplane, focusing on the innovative mechanisms and design features that made their Flyer a groundbreaking success. It explores the influence of German scientist Otto Lilienthal on Wilbur Wright and their decision to experiment with flight. The essay delves into the significance of wind conditions, the design of the Flyer, including the use of wing wrapping, engine specifications, and the canard biplane configuration. It highlights the three-axis control system, the use of aluminium cranks in the engine, and the flight controls. The essay also discusses the importance of the propulsion system and the role of fabric in the plane's construction. It emphasizes the Flyer's impact on aviation history, acknowledging the Wright brothers' contributions to airplane construction and their lasting legacy in the field of aviation.

Running Head: AVIATION HISTORY
AVIATION HISTORY
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Author Note:

1AVIATION HISTORY
The invention of first flying airplane is considered to be the cornerstone for modern
aviation industry. In 1903 the Wright brothers, Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur Wright
was succeeded to develop the first controlled aeroplane that was powered by practical fixed wing
aircraft. Based on this idea, the purpose of this essay is to highlight the specification and
innovative mechanism that was used by Wilbur Wright and the backdrop of his invention so that
the entire history of the invention of aviation will be highlighted.
Wilbur Wright was an American inventor born in 1867 in Indiana was very fond of the
aeroplane mechanism of German scientist Otto Lilienthal. After the death of Lilienthal Wilbur
with his brother Orville decided to start experiment with the flight. Wind was played a
significant role in the aviation mechanism and they knew it. Therefore, Kitty Hawk of North
Carolina was the right choice for Wilbur to get success in his project (Velazquez, 2016). It can
be argued that Wilbur was very optimistic and had a vision to develop such a mechanism that
could differentiate between a glider or a balloon and aeroplane. As a result of that the Wright
brothers named their plane as the Flyer.
As far as the designing of the Wright brothers’ aeroplane was concerned, Wilbur
envisaged a bird’s wings. He observed the angle of the birds and tried to understand the control
mechanism that led him to propound the idea of “wing wrapping” (Olivier, 2017). There were
different segments in the Flyer in terms mechanism or design of the Flyer. For an example,
Wilbur installed engine, propellers and added some structural reinforcement. The wing area was
stretched up to 500 square feet with a propulsion system of 200 pounds. As a whole the entire
aircraft was weighed 625 pounds with a pilot sitting inside the aeroplane. In addition to this,
power, thrust and speed were also important to take off the flight. Wilbur calculated that the

2AVIATION HISTORY
basic requirement was 8 horsepower engine with 90 pounds of thrust would be enough to
achieve a airspeed of 23 miles per hour.
It can be argued that the success of the Wright brothers was not only depended on their
unique flight mechanism but also the construction of the plane and use of fabric was also played
pivotal role to make the project a success. For this, Wilbur Wright used the Canard biplane
Configuration that he formerly used in his 1899 kite design (Jakab, 2014). Besides this, the
three axis control system made the Flyer an unique one featured with lateral balance, movable
rudder and an elevator for pitch control. In fact, Wilbur had an excellent observation and
imagination that fostered a better design for the wings. He deliberately increased the length of
the right wing four inches so that the right side of the plane would be heavier than the left side. It
gave extra advantage to the Flyer because of fluctuation of winds.
As a matter of fact, the propulsion system played a crucial role in this development with
building a suitable engine. The engine was featured with 4 inch bore, 4 inch stroke and cast iron
cylinders with aluminium cranks that extended outward to form a water jacket around the
cylinder barrels (Joo et al., 2015). The engine was cooled down by the water poured down from a
vertical water reservoir. In this context, the Wright brothers delivered a major breakthrough in
the history of the aviation engine mechanism in terms of using aluminium cranks (Buchholz,
2017). It was the first time in the history of aviation that aluminium cranks were used to develop
aviation engine. The lightweight feature of aluminium made it the right and effective choice for
the Wright brothers and is still used in the aircraft construction system till date. Moreover, the
engine had no spark plugs or carburettor for ignition. The Wright brothers used simple motor ran
with gasoline.

3AVIATION HISTORY
In case of the flight controls Wilbur followed the same set up that was used in the glider
in 1902. However, the wings and the rudder was padded this time with a single wooden lever
held in the left hand controlled the elevator (McCullough, 2015). For recording the flight data
Wilbur installed a Richard anemometer and a stopwatch on the front strut of the pilot. In fact, the
instruments were connected with the engine so that the instruments were turned off along with
the engine.
From that point of view, it can be concluded that the Flyer was a remarkable invention in
the history of aviation that shaped the foundation of aeroplane construction in real. Wilbur
Wright with his brother got a applauded reception for this outstanding invention and marked
their name glittering in the account of aviation history.

4AVIATION HISTORY
Reference
Buchholz, S. (2017). The Brothers Were Wright-An Abridged History of Wind Tunnel Testing at
Ames Research Center.
Jakab, P. L. (2014). Visions of a flying machine: The Wright brothers and the process of
invention. Smithsonian Institution.
Joo, J. J., Marks, C. R., Zientarski, L., & Culler, A. J. (2015). Variable camber compliant wing-
design. In 23rd AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference (p. 1050).
McCullough, D. (2015). The Wright Brothers. Simon and Schuster.
Olivier, J. M. (2017, August). Profit and loss among aviation pioneers. From big company
dreams to SME pragmatism (1890-1913). In EBHA European Business History Association
21ST Annual Congress.
Velazquez, J. (2016). The Contribution of the Wright Brothers in Airplane Development: An
Investigative Report. International Journal of Professional Aviation Training & Testing
Research, 8(1).