Wright, Orville
Along with his brother Wilbur, he invented, built, and flew the world's first successful airplane.
Most quoted
"The first successful flight was made on December 17, 1903. We were in the air for 12 seconds and flew 120 feet. It was the first time in the history of the world that a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started."
— from Official statement/letter, 1903
"The first flight lasted only 12 seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started."
— from Letter to his father, December 17, 1903, 1903
"The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their tedious travels across prairies and mountains and deserts, looked enviously at the birds soaring freely through space, at the swiftness of their flight, and at the ease with which they seemingly moved at will through the air."
— from Speech to the Aero Club of America, 1908
All quotes by Wright, Orville (384)
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
The world is full of wonders, and the greatest wonder of all is the human spirit.
The airplane is a bridge between cultures, a symbol of unity and progress.
We were not content to merely observe the world; we wanted to change it.
The airplane has given us a new perspective on life, a higher vantage point from which to view the world.
We were not afraid to challenge the impossible, for we knew that the impossible was merely the untried.
The human mind is a powerful tool, capable of achieving anything it sets its sights on.
The airplane is a testament to the power of collaboration, of working together to achieve a common goal.
We sought not to conquer nature, but to understand it, to work with it.
The greatest adventure is to live the life of your dreams.
The airplane has opened up new possibilities for exploration, for discovery, for understanding.
We were driven by a sense of wonder, a desire to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
The airplane is a symbol of hope, a reminder that even the most ambitious dreams can be realized.
The true measure of a man is not what he has, but what he has done.
The beauty of the world is in its diversity, in its endless possibilities.
We were not afraid to stand alone, to pursue our vision even when others doubted us.
The airplane has given us wings, not just to fly, but to soar above our limitations.
The greatest lesson we learned was that perseverance pays off.
We were driven by a simple question: 'What if?'
The airplane is a testament to the power of imagination, to the ability of the human mind to conceive of the impossible.
Contemporaries of Wright, Orville
Other Inventions born within 50 years of Wright, Orville (1871–1948).