Celebrating 120 Years of Aviation

In the 120 years since the Wright brothers’ first flight, there have been many milestones in aviation.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, December 11, 2023 at 06:21 PM ET

Verified

Wilbur Wright in flight in 1909. [Library of Congress]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation rapidly progressed from the Wright brothers' initial controlled flight in 1903 to practical aircraft, quickly adopted for military use and undergoing significant technological advancements through two World Wars.
Following wartime innovation, aviation diversified into commercial air travel, pioneering record-setting speed and distance flights, and eventually extending to supersonic jets and space exploration.
The industry has continually pushed boundaries in aircraft design and performance, fostering public fascination and breaking social barriers, such as women becoming airline pilots.
Modern aviation focuses on enhanced safety features like glass cockpits and airframe parachutes, alongside industry consolidation and ongoing efforts to manage crowded skies.

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It is said that “necessity is the mother of invention,” and in aviation the needs are practicality, speed, distance, and safety. In the 120 years since the Wright brothers’ first flight, there have been many milestones—too many to list here, in fact. So we’re just going to mention a few that stood out from the rest in the following timeline:

1903

On December 17, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieve powered flight. They make a total of four flights that day in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville is at the controls for the first flight that lasts 12 seconds and marks the beginning of powered, heavier-than-air flight.