Surprise · Flight
Twelve Seconds That Changed the World
The Wright brothers' first flight
The question
How long did the Wright brothers' first powered flight, in 1903, last?
- About 2 hours
- 12 minutes
- 12 seconds(correct answer)
The answer: 12 seconds
With Orville Wright at the controls, the Wright Flyer stayed in the air for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet (36 metres) at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was the world's first successful flight of a powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. The brothers made four flights that day, and the Flyer is now displayed at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
- Civilization
- United States
- Region
- North America
- Period
- 1903
- Location
- Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, United States
- Featured in
- Daily Discovery #006 · 7 November 2026
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