First aeroplane flight takes place

Date: 17 Dec 1903
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

On the morning of 17 December 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright succeeded in the world's first powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine under complete control of the pilot. The brothers took turns piloting and monitoring their flying machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville piloted the first flight, lasting only twelve seconds. On the fourth and final flight of the day, Wilbur remained airborne for fifty-nine seconds and travelled 852 feet. Click here to read more about the first flight.

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How we know this

01The Library of Congress,"First Flight", From: The Library of Congress,[Online],Available at: memory.loc.gov,[Accessed : 25 November 2013]
02The EyeWitness to History.com,"The Wright Brothers - First Flight, 1903",From: The EyeWitness to History.com,available at: www.eyewitnesstohistory.com,[Accessed : 25 November 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). First aeroplane flight takes place. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011268

South African History Online (2011) 'First aeroplane flight takes place', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011268 (Accessed: 29 August 2026).

South African History Online, First aeroplane flight takes place [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011268, (accessed 29 August 2026).

"First aeroplane flight takes place." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011268. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "First aeroplane flight takes place." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011268.