
Preparing for the December 14, 1903 attempt.
In Dayton, Orville and Wilbur completed the design and construction of their powered glider in June 1903. It weighed in at just over 600 pounds including its 179-pound, 12 horsepower engine. The craft had a wingspan of 40 feet, 4 inches.
At 10:35 a.m., December 17, 1903, Orville Wright fired up the four-cylinder engine and embarked on the first manned, sustained, powered flight. That initial ascent lasted about 12 seconds and spanned an estimated 120 feet. Wilbur then gave it a try and exceeded his brother's distance by about 75 feet. As any pilot knows, nothing can substitute for experience: By Wilbur's second try (the fourth overall and the last one of this fateful day), he sustained flight for nearly a full minute and a distance of over 850 feet.
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