Travel · IN60SECONDS

How long was the Wright brothers’ first flight?

Twelve seconds. On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew 120 feet near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The brothers made four flights that day, and the longest, by Wilbur, covered 852 feet in 59 seconds.

Quick Answer

The Wright brothers’ first powered flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, Orville Wright lifted off from the sand at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in the Wright Flyer, which had a 12-horsepower engine and two propellers. The brothers made four flights that morning, taking turns as pilot: Wilbur flew 175 feet, Orville flew 200 feet, and Wilbur’s last flight went 852 feet in 59 seconds. It was a cold day, with winds reported at roughly 20 to 27 miles per hour. Five local men watched, and one of them, John T. Daniels, took the famous photograph of the first takeoff. The brothers then sent their father a telegram that began, “Success four flights Thursday morning.” The original Flyer is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

By the Numbers

12 secLength of the first flight

120 ftDistance of the first flight, shorter than the wingspan of a Boeing 747

59 secLength of the longest flight

852 ftDistance of the longest flight

Key Facts

First flight: 12 seconds and 120 feet, piloted by Orville Wright
Longest flight: 852 feet in 59 seconds, piloted by Wilbur Wright
Where and when: Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903
Where it is now: The 1903 Wright Flyer is at the National Air and Space Museum

Timeline

Dec. 14, 1903
Wilbur wins a coin toss and tries first. The Flyer climbs, stalls and crashes into the sand, causing minor damage.
Dec. 17, 10:35 a.m.
Orville flies 120 feet in 12 seconds, the first powered, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air machine.
Later that morning
Wilbur flies about 175 feet, then Orville about 200 feet.
Dec. 17, last flight
Wilbur flies 852 feet in 59 seconds.
Dec. 17
The brothers send their father a telegram announcing four flights.

Four flights in one morning

The Flyer lifted off the sand at 10:35 a.m. and flew for 12 seconds, landing 120 feet away. Three more flights followed that morning, with Wilbur and Orville alternating as pilot. The second flight was about 175 feet and the third about 200 feet. Wilbur then made the fourth and longest flight, 852 feet in 59 seconds. The Flyer was powered by a 12-horsepower motor connected by bicycle-style chains to two propellers.

Why Orville flew first

Three days earlier, on December 14, the brothers flipped a coin and Wilbur won, but the Flyer stalled about 40 feet down its launching rail and the front elevator was slightly damaged. After repairs, it was Orville’s turn on December 17.

Five witnesses and one photograph

Five local men saw the flights: John T. Daniels, Adam Etheridge and Will Dough, who worked at the nearby Kill Devil Hills Life Saving Station, plus W.C. Brinkley of Manteo and 17-year-old Johnny Moore of Nags Head. The brothers had asked Daniels to take a photograph with their camera, and his picture of the first takeoff became one of the most famous in aviation history.

Myth vs. Fact

MythThe first flight went a long way.

FactIt lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet, shorter than a Boeing 747’s wingspan. The longest flight that day was 852 feet.

MythThe flights took place in the town of Kitty Hawk.

FactThey took place on the sand at Kill Devil Hills, about four miles away. The brothers walked to the Kitty Hawk weather station to send their telegram.

The Bottom Line

The Wright brothers’ first flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on December 17, 1903. Their fourth flight that day went 852 feet in 59 seconds, enough to show that powered, controlled flight was possible.