When is National Wright Brothers Day?
December 17th is National Wright Brothers Day.
What is National Wright Brothers Day?
Next time you recline in your business class seat, sipping martinis and drinking in the onboard Wi-Fi as your jetliner crests 550 mph, remember the Wright Brothers. Their first flights had them drinking an icy headwind at a meager 6.8 mph. National Wright Brothers Day commemorates those early flights and honors the Wright brothers for their role in aviation history.
After weeks of delays and years of experimentation, the Wright brothers finally got their flying machine off the ground on December 17th, 1903. Wilbur Wright started with a kite, but the brothers moved on to gliders, wind tunnels, and the first mechanically propelled airplane.
Sixty years after take-off, Congress established Wright Brothers Day. Celebrations are held in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where the first flights occurred, as well as the brothers’ hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
Fun facts about National Wright Brothers Day!
- The Wright brothers started as printers and then opened a bicycle repair shop before moving into aviation.
- The brothers tested lift and drag on 200 different wing shapes in their wind tunnel.
- When the Wrights couldn’t find a good engine for their first biplane, they designed their own and had a fellow machinist build it.
- The first powered flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. It took place in a 25 mph gale.
How to celebrate National Wright Brothers Day:
- Take to the skies. Find a local flight opportunity in a small plane, or fly a drone enjoy navigating the skies yourself.
- Plan ahead and track down a Wright Brothers Day celebration in Kitty Hawk or Dayton.
- Visit an aviation museum to take in some aviation history.
What’s the hashtag for National Wright Brothers Day?
Salute the Wright brothers on social media by using #WrightBrothersDay.