Orville and Wilbur — despite some goofy names — sure knew how to push the limits of travel. Not content with simply walking, biking or driving, on December 17, 1903, Wilbur managed to get aloft — for 12 seconds. Those 12 seconds changed travel forever. Though there is no film of the event, it must’ve looked something like this. By 1908, the brothers were traveling the globe showing off their invention. Though still quite a rocky ride, the experience was far more civilized: pilots sat upright and catapults were no longer used to get the planes going.
Learn more:
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Get some history.
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See a photo taken during the first flight.
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Explore an interactive 3D model of the plane from the first flight.
