Early life

Wilbur Wright was born April 16, 1867, near Millville, Indiana. She was the youngest child in a family of five children. His father, Milton Wright, was a bishop in the United Brethren in Christ Church. His mother was Susan Catherine Koerner. As a child, Wilbur's playmate was his younger brother, Orville Wright, born in 1871.

Milton Wright's preaching always took him on the street, and he often brought small toys for his children. In 1878 he returned with a small model plane for his boys. Made of ancestor, bamboo and paper, and powered by a rubber band to move its blades, the model was based on the construction of the French pioneer Alphonse Pénaud. Fascinated by the toy and its engineering, Wilbur and Orville could develop a lifelong passion for aeronautics and flying.

Wilbur was a bright, literate child, and did well in school. His personality was outstanding and strong, and he made plans to study at Yale University after high school. In the winter of 1885-86, an accident changed Wilbur's life course. He was badly injured in an ice hockey game, when another player's stick hit him in the face.

Although most of his injuries were treated, the incident put Wilbur in a state of shock. He did not receive his high school diploma, was canceled at college, and returned to his family home. Wilbur spent most of his time at home, reading books in his family library, and caring for his ailing mother. Susan Koerner died in 1889 from tuberculosis.

In 1889 the brothers opened their own newspaper, West Side News. Wilbur edited the paper, and Orville was the publisher. The brothers also loved bicycles — a new madness that swept across the country. In 1892 Wilbur and Orville opened a bicycle shop, repairing bicycles and selling their designs.

Developing the Airplane

Constantly working on various mechanical projects and completing scientific research, the Wright brothers closely followed the research of German pilot Otto Lilienthal. When Lilienthal died in a plane crash, the brothers decided to start their own flight. Determined to develop their own successful design, Wilbur and Orville set out for Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, known for its strong winds.

Wilbur and Orville began working on how to design a flying wing. They saw that the birds were flapping their wings to balance and control, and they tried to mimic this, creating the concept called “wing warping.” When they added a moving pin, the Wright brothers discovered that they had a magical formula — on December 17, 1903, they successfully flew the first free, controlled, pilot-powered, airplane. Wilbur flew their plane for 59 seconds, at a distance of 852 meters, an amazing achievement.

The Wright brothers soon discovered that their success was unknown to all. Many in the press, as well as other aviation experts, were hesitant to believe what the brothers were saying. As a result, Wilbur set off for Europe in 1908, where he hoped to become more successful in convincing the public and selling aircraft.

Fame

In France Wilbur found an audience of listeners. He built many public airplanes, and boarded officials, journalists, and governments. In 1909 Orville joined his brother in Europe, and his younger sister Katharine. The Wrights became famous there, held by members of the royal family and heads of state, and often appeared in newspapers. The Wrights began selling their aircraft in Europe, before returning to the United States in 1909. The brothers became wealthy businessmen, completing air travel agreements in Europe and the United States.

Wilbur and Orville always took credit for sharing their new belongings, and maintained a close relationship for the rest of their lives. After these scenes, however, there were divisions among the workers. With his sharp ingenuity, Wilbur was a business expert and chief of staff, serving as president of the Wright company.

Death and Legacy

Wilbur fell ill on a trip to Boston in April 1912. He was diagnosed with typhoid fever, and he died on May 30 at his family home in Dayton, Ohio. Milton Wright wrote in his book The Shorting of Life: Uncompromising wisdom, uncontrolled anger, overconfidence and immodesty, seeing clearly what is right, pursuing it little by little, lived and died. ”