The Wright brothers’ father gave them a toy that was a flying top. The brothers were fascinated on flying after that.

The boys started a printing shop. Then they got a bicycle shop. Wilbur and Orville were interested in gliding experiments. They started tests with kites and gliders.

The Wright brothers picked Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to do the tests. Kitty Hawk was windy. There were hills to take off from. There was sand to land on.

The glider tests did not go well. Wilbur and Orville went back home to Dayton, Ohio. They built a wind tunnel. Using the wind tunnel, the brothers tested many wing designs.

The Wrights had to solve three main problems. The brothers had to design a plane that could get in the air. They had to be able to steer the plane. The plane needed power. The Wright brothers did it! Orville tried out their plane, the Flyer, on December 17, 1903. He went 120 feet in 12 seconds. The brothers made four flights that day.

Wilbur and Orville made new designs. They formed a company. They sold planes to the U.S. Army. They sold planes to other countries. Other people made planes, too. The Wrights spent many years suing people for stealing their ideas.

Wilbur died of typhoid fever at the age of 45. Orville sold the company. He was given many honors. Orville served on many important committees. In 1944, the Lockheed airplane, Constellation, gave Orville his last ride.

Orville was born in horse-and-buggy days. He lived to the start of supersonic flight.