Wright Flyer

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The Wright Flyer, also referred to as the Kitty Hawk, Wright Flyer I, or Model 1903 Flyer, was an experimental airplane and the first heavier-than-air powered and controlled aircraft which sustained flight. It was built by the Wright Cycle Company in 1903 and flow by its two proprietors, Orville and Wilbur Wright.

Summary

“ The Wright Flyer is a single-engine, single-place canard biplane designed, built, and flown by American brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright Flyer, also called the 1903 Wright Flyer and the Kitty Hawk Flyer, is the first powered, controlled, heavier-than-air machine to launch, sustain flight, and land. Only one Wright Flyer was constructed, and it flew four times, all on December 17, 1903. Due to its status as the first airplane to fly, the Wright Flyer is one of the most famous human creations in history. It is the foundational milestone of the Aerial Age and marks the opening of Pioneer Era of Aviation. The Wright Flyer is on permanent display in its own exhibition in the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

The December 17, 1903 successful flight of the Wright Flyer marked the culmination of an intensive research and development effort that began in the 1890s. The Wright Brothers were proprietors of a Dayton, Ohio-based bicycle shop, The Wright Cycle Company, and former successful commercial printers. Interested in flight from their youth, their fascination of aviation had been piqued by the published exploits of a number of pioneers in the budding field of aviation, notably German Otto Lilienthal, the first person to repeatedly fly a heavier-than-air glider. Their drive to create their own flying machines was boosted in 1896 with the news of Lilienthal’s death during a glider test. They contacted the Smithsonian Institution, requesting information it had on flying machines.

Orville and Wilbur tested their first aircraft, a biplane kite with a 5 ft (1.5 m) wingspan, in the summer of 1899. They then moved to piloted gliders, creating and flying two. They focused on lift at first, then control of flight, and then conducted careful studies, using a wind tunnel, to determine specific designs. During this time they identified the ideal place to test their machines, a sandy location four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina that is today part of the town of Kill Devil Hills. In 1902, the duo tested their third glider, their "1902 Glider." This craft, the most successful of all flying machines they had built to that point, would form the basis of the Wright Flyer.

With the help of their bicycle shop mechanic, the brothers crafted a 12 hp (8.9 kW), gasoline-powered piston engine, a transmission system inspired by bicycle chain transmissions, and two rotary wings—propellers. They assembled the Wright Flyer and transported it to North Carolina in the fall of 1903, and after a few mechanical setbacks, finally were ready to test their machine. At 10:35 a.m. on December 17th, the Wright Flyer, piloted by Orville Wright, lifted into the sky under its own power, flying 120 ft (37 m) in 12 seconds. The aircraft flew three more times that day, with the brothers alternating each flight. The last flight, piloted by Wilbur, lasted 59 seconds and covered 852 ft (260 m). The Aerial Age had begun, and not only had the brothers created the first self-powered flying machine, they had also developed the basis for aeronautical engineering in creating the Wright Flyer.

The Wright Flyer measures 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m) in length, stands 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m), and has a wingspan of 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m). It has skids for landing gear and a tail composed of a single vertical stabilizer. It is powered by a Wright 4-cylinder, 12 hp (8.9 kW) gasoline inline piston engine that drives two counter-rotating pusher propellers via a sprocket-and-chain transmission system. It is constructed of spruce and ash wood for its frame and its wings are covered in muslin. Control is accomplished by warping of wings remotely via a hip cradle and lines. 		”
~ Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) on its hangar description

Simulator availability

Overview

This asset is available in the following simulators.

Sim Icon-Ware-Included.svg  Icon-Ware-Payware.svg  Icon-Ware-Freeware.svg  Anvil icon.svg
XP12
FGFS2020.3LTS
FS2020 1
XP11 1
DCS
P3D
XP10 1
FSX 1
FS2004 1

Package listing

The following packages are either included in the base sim or available for purchase/download. Note that the inclusion of packages below is not an endorsement of quality or fitness. Potential buyers are highly encouraged to research payware packages through reviews, videos, or other means before purchasing.

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020)

Included Liveries

The following liveries accompany the included Asobo model at no additional cost.

  • Default

    Default

History

Sim Update XI (SU11) (2022-11-11):
  • Added the Wright Flyer to the base sim
Sim Airplanes by simulator availability Airplanes by source
XP12: All • Included • Payware • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party
FGFS2020.3LTS: All • Included • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party • Launcher
FS2020: All • Included • Payware • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party • Marketplace
XP11: All • Included • Payware • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party
DCS: All • Included • Payware • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party • Marketplace
P3D: All • Included • Payware • Freeware • In development Included • Third-party
XP10: All • Included • Payware • Freeware Included • Third-party
FSX: All • Included • Payware • Freeware Included • Third-party
FS2004: All • Included • Payware • Freeware Included • Third-party
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