Today honors National Aviation Day and the 1871 birth of Orville Wright. With his brother Wilbur, the belief in flight became reality on December 17, 1903, in the gusty dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

They were working bicycle mechanics who dared to dream. Through trials, failures, and over 200 wing experiments, they invented a way to twist wings and control lift. Orville's first flight: 120 feet in 12 seconds. By the fourth try, Wilbur flew 853 feet in 59 seconds. Airborne!

They proved that success is earned through determination and innovation. Their vision changed the world—commerce, warfare, and the way we explore. In 1940, Orville was awarded honorary license number 1 by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

Glider pioneer Otto Lilienthal inspired the Wrights: “To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. To fly is everything.”