The Wright Flyer (often retrospectively referred to as Flyer I) was the first powered aircraft designed and built by the Wright Brothers.It had a motor built from scratch by their employee Charlie Taylor. It is generally considered to be the first successful powered, piloted aircraft.

The Wright Flyer

The aircraft was built in 1903 and was very different from a modern aircraft. The pilot, who flew laying on the lower wing with his head towards the front of the craft, steered by moving a cradle attached to his hips. The cradle pulled wires which warped the wings as the pilot shifted from one side to the other.

After the four brief, low-altitude flights on the first day that the airplane flew, it was damaged by wind and never flew again.

Specifications (Flyer)

General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Length: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)
• Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
• Wing area: 510 ft² (47 m²)
• Empty: 605 lb (274 kg)
• Loaded: 745 lb (338 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 1x water-cooled straight-4 piston engine, 12 hp (9 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)
• Range: n/a
• Service ceiling: n/a
• Rate of climb: n/a
• Wing loading: 1.4 lb/ft² (7 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.02 hp/lb (30 W/kg)

External links:

• http://wright.nasa.gov/
• http://www.wrightflyer.org/
• http://www.wrightexperience.com/

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: Flyer - Flyer II - Flyer III