University of Chicago
Flights Before the Wrights: Octave Chanute, Chicago
A site that chronicles the life of Octave Chanute, an aeronautical engineer involved in flight before the Wright brothers.
University of Chicago
Flights Before the Wrights: Octave Chanute, Chicago
A site that chronicles the life of Octave Chanute, an aeronautical engineer involved in flight before the Wright brothers.
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: Flights of Inspiration
Franklin Institute site showcases the first flight taken by the Wright brothers. Follows the Wright brothers plan to achieve first flight as they used their failures to win them success in aviation.
Ibis Communications
Eye Witness to History: The Wright Brothers First Flight 1903
Orville Wright's account of his and his brother's first three airplane trial flights.
Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum: Wright Brothers: Invention of the Aerial Age
Biographical details about the Ohio-born Wright brothers, who ushered in the aerial age with their invention of the first powered airplane.
Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum: Pioneers of Flight: Amelia Earhart
Illustrated essay on the pioneering step taken by Amelia Earhart when she became, in 1932, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Famous Scientists
Famous Scientists: Alberto Santos Dumont
Read about Brazilian aviation pioneer, Alberto Santos-Dumont, who designed, built, and flew hot air balloons, and was famous for his flight that rounded the Eiffel Tower.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Will It Fly?
In this lesson, students will learn about kites and gliders and how these models can help in understanding the concept of flight. Students will design and build their own balsa wood models and experiment with different control surfaces....
Read Works
Read Works: Designing the First Flying Machine
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Wilbur and Orville Wright designing the first airplane. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Other
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight collects and exhibits historically significant artifacts of air and space travel.
Other
Allstar Network: Flight
This comprehensive and informative site looks at the history and principles of flight.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Events That Led to the Invention of the Airplane
Discover the history of the first airplanes and flying machines, and how the Wright brothers constructed their first successful airplane.
The Franklin Institute
Resources for Science Learning: The Wright 1911 Model B Flyer in Flight
See film footage and read brief descriptions of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll's 1911 Model B flyer flight in 1934.
NASA
Nasa: Biography of Orville Wright
Provides an interesting biography of the life and accomplishments of Orville Wright. The highlight of this site is the terrific historic photos throughout the text.
NASA
Nasa: Biography of Wilbur Wright
Provides an interesting biography of the life and accomplishments of Wilbur Wright. The highlight of this site is the terrific historic photos throughout the text.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What Was Right About the Wright Brothers?
In this unit students will explore the lives of the Wright brothers. The end result will be a student-made documentary highlighting the factors that allowed the Wright brothers to succeed at manned flight when others before them had failed.
A&E Television
History.com: The History of Flight: From Breakthroughs to Disasters
From hot-air balloons floating over Paris to a dirigible crashing over New Jersey, here are some of the biggest moments of aviation history. Below is a timeline of humans' obsession with flight, from da Vinci to drones. Fasten your...
A&E Television
History.com: 6 Little Known Pioneers of Aviation
From an early glider experimenter to the first man to fly solo around the world, here are six lesser-known pilots and inventors who made their mark on aviation.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Third From the Sun
This site offers a short history of the evolution of the space program and man's quest for more revealing and detailed pictures of the earth.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 1342: Wright and Langley
Read about the controversy that emerged over the authenticity of Samuel Pierpoint Langley's flying machine, and the response of the Wright Brothers to attempts to usurp their place in history. This is a transcript of a radio broadcast.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 1418: The Influence of War
Does war inevitably advance the invention of new technology? Read this explanation of why this commonly held belief may not be true, at least in the example of military aircraft. This is a transcript of a radio broadcast.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 1409: The Redoubtable Dc 3
Read about the success of the DC-3 passenger plane, which went into use in 1936, in overcoming the difficulties such planes had encountered up until then. This is a transcript of a radio broadcast.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 283: Aeronautics: 1869
Learn about the first efforts to build a flying machine in this discussion of a Harper's magazine article from 1869 in this transcript of a radio broadcast.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: The Wright Stuff
Companion website to the PBS documentary on the Wright Brothers and their contributions to aviation.