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Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company is based in Dayton, Ohio, the home of
the Wright Brothers and the birthplace of aviation. We are a
non-profit organization of aviators, historians, educators, and other
people who share an interest in the history of the invention of the
airplane. Our mission is simply to tell the story of the Wright
brothers. We are especially focused on telling this story to young
people, to teach them the power of dreams and the importance of doing the
work necessary to achieve those dreams.
Because the most exciting way to tell an aviation story is to use
airplanes, we are building � and helping others to build � Wright
brothers aircraft. Before the 100th anniversary of the first
successful powered flight in 2003, we will have built the six experimental
aircraft that led to the development of the first practical airplane:
 | 1899 Wright Kite, with which the brothers tested a
revolutionary idea for controlling an airplane. |
| 1900 Wright Glider, their first attempt to build a manned
aircraft. |
| 1901 Wright Glider, which convinced of the need for basic
scientific research in aerodynamics. |
| 1902 Wright Glider, the first airplane with 3-axis control,
and the basis of the Wright's grandfather patent. |
| 1903 Wright Flyer 1, the first aircraft to make a sustained,
controlled, powered flight. |
| 1905 Wright Flyer 3, the first practical aircraft. |
When all six aircraft are complete, it will mark the first time that
they have all been displayed together. This will allow people to trace the
remarkable mixture of inspiration, ingenuity, and serendipity that
propelled the Wright brothers in their determination to create a flying
machine.
To tell the story and share the adventure of pioneer aviation, we have
focused on three goals. |
Here's what downtown Dayton, Ohio looked like in the
time of the Wright brothers.
And here's the same street today. The abstract sculpture
is called "Flyover" and depicts the path of the first sustained,
controlled powered flight in 1903.
The 1899 Wright "Kite."
The 1902 Wright Glider.
The 1905 Wright Flyer 3.
|
Create
a virtual museum.
To build and maintain a site on the World Wide Web to provide information
about the Wright Brothers and early aviation history for people of all ages and levels of
interest. This will also provide a means for aviation scholars, institutions, and
enthusiasts around the world to publish and share information. |
Home page (deja vu?) |
Develop
hands-on educational programs.
While the web is a great way to discover pioneer aviation, it's even more
exciting when you're up close and personal. So we have built several
outreach programs around our
Wright airplanes. We'll bring the 1902 Wright Glider to your school for a
close encounter with the innovative minds of the Wright brothers. Or you
can participate in the building of the 1903 Wright Flyer. Or come to Kitty
Hawk each fall and help us fly several of our airplanes. |
Our 1902 Wright Glider replica is part of a portable
museum of the Wright brothers that tours schools across America.
|
