Technology of Kitty Hawk, The

Two brothers, a remote desert landscape, and a seemingly impossible dream.

On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made history when their revolutionary glider craft took flight for an astonishing twelve seconds at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The event marked the beginning of a remarkable journey of triumph for two young bicycle mechanics from Ohio. From that first ground-breaking flight to the success of the first practical airplane in 1905, the Wright brothers battled many technological setbacks, looming competition, and frustrating patent problems. It wasn’t until several years after the initial flights at Kitty Hawk that the Wright brothers finally secured their patents and achieved the well-earned recognition for their landmark contributions to the science of flight.

Join THE HISTORY CHANNEL^® for the story of two extraordinary men whose superior intellect and critical forethought helped change the world forever.