Second Pilot To Fly

Monday, August 22, 2022 at 10:37 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Orville Wright is recognized as the first to fly, successfully completing a 120-foot hop on December 17, 1903.
His brother and co-inventor, Wilbur Wright, was the second to fly, despite an earlier attempt on December 14 resulting in a stall and crash.
On the same day as Orville's flight, Wilbur also made a notable flight, achieving the longest flight of the day at 175 feet.

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You probably know the answer to this one; the first to fly was Orville Wright. The second to take to the air was his brother and the co-inventor of the airplane, Wilbur Wright. Wilbur would’ve been the first to the air, on Dec. 14, 1903, but on that first flight attempt, he stalled the plane and crashed it. After repairs, the brothers tried their luck again on Dec. 17, and this time it was Orville’s turn. His 120-foot-long hop is the most famous flight ever. Soon thereafter, it was Wilbur’s turn again, and he made the record-setting longest flight, of 175 feet, though that record only stood for an hour or so.