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The Wright Flyer I was the first powered aircraft designed and built by the Wright Brothers, and generally considered to be the first successful powered, piloted aircraft.

The aircraft was built in 1903 and was very different from a modern aircraft. The pilot, who flew laying on the lower wing with his head towards the front of the craft, steered by moving a cradle attached to his hips. The cradle pulled wires which warped the wings as the pilot shifted from one side to the other.

1 Specifications (Flyer I)

1.1 General Characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Length: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)
• Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
• Wing area: 510 ft² (47 m²)
• Empty: 605 lb (274 kg)
• Loaded: 745 lb (338 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 1x water-cooled straight-4 piston engine, 12 hp (9 kW)

1.2 Performance

• Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)
• Range: miles ( km)
• Service ceiling: ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Wing loading: 1.4 lb/ft² (7 kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: 0.02 hp/lb (0.03 kW/kg)

2 External links:

• http://wright.nasa.gov/
• http://www.wrightflyer.org/
• http://www.wrightexperience.com/

3 Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: Flyer I -