First flight in an airplane is undertaken

On the morning of 17 December 1903, brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright succeeded in the world's first powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine under complete control of the pilot. The brothers took turns piloting and monitoring their flying machine at Kitty Hawk, 20 feet above a wind-swept beach in North Carolina. Orville piloted the first flight, lasting only twelve seconds. On the fourth and final flight of the day, Wilbur remained airborne for fifty-nine seconds and travelled 852 feet. The brothers had begun experimenting with flight in 1896. They had to design and build their own engine for the plane since they couldn’t find one that was both light enough and powerful enough for their needs.