Celebrating the 100th anniversary of controlled, sustained, and powered air flight

This paper recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 17 December 1903 flight of the Wright brothers. This accomplishment demonstrated the first truly controlled, sustained, powered and heavier-than-air flight. This paper highlights the four special technical challenges the Wright brothers faced and how they were able to develop a flight system that could be safely utilized by humans. The paper also shows the three major contributions of the Wright brothers. Eventually, their work affected travel as well as shipping, farming, warfare, and many aspects of our daily lives.