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The 1903 Wright Flyer and Aeronautics

Before the Wright Brothers started constructing their airplane, they began by doing research. They wrote to the Smithsonian and asked to be sent all the research that had previously been done on the study of flight. They thoroughly read all the research and decided that there were three main problems that needed to be solved:

They needed to design wings that could generate enough lift to raise a heavy airplane (with a person and an engine) into the air.
They needed to make an engine that would be lightweight, yet able to power the airplane through the air.
They needed to develop a system to control the airplane while in flight.

At first they used the research they had collected to guide them. Soon, though, they realized that some of the information was incorrect. They found they had to perform their own research. They did tests on airfoil shapes to determine which shape gave the greatest amount of lift. To do this research, they created their own wind tunnel and measuring system. They used this information to change the camber of the wings used on the 1903 Wright Flyer to improve its lift. Much of this original research is still true today.

Wright Flyer

The Wright Brothers understood that they could not take any motor, place it on their airplane and expect the airplane to fly. They knew they needed not only a small, lightweight engine, but also a powerful engine. Small, lightweight powerful engines had not been invented at that time. They also needed to have that engine generate enough thrust to turn large propellers. With the help of their mechanic, they designed their own engine for their biplane.

They also found that no research had been done on aerial propellers. For several months they focused all their energy to study this problem. They were the first to understand how a propeller works. They found that a propeller works just like a wing that is rotating. Once they understood that idea, they were able to design the blades of a propeller for flight.

For control, they created their unique system called wing warping. They developed a hip cradle connected to a series of wires that pulled down on the rear outer edges of the wings. The pilot would control the twisting of the wings by moving his hips to the left or the right. This would maintain the balance and control of the airplane. They also developed a rudder (that worked just like the rudder of a ship) and elevators (that worked like a sideways rudder).

The Wright Brothers remained focused on these problems despite the fact that each problem revealed even more problems to be solved. Their mechanical ability, their research skills and their problem solving skills helped them to persevere to success. They did not stop with the 1903 Flyer. They continued to improve their airplane design, and propel the world into the age of flight.