Wright Brothers First Flight at Kitty Hawk, NC

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On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew the first powered, controlled airplane flight at Kill Devil Hills: 120 feet in 12 seconds, starting at 10:35 a.m. Wilbur flew the longest of the day's four flights, 852 feet in 59 seconds.

Sep 12, 1900Wilbur reaches Kitty Hawk
Dec 17, 1903Four powered flights
120 ftFlight 1, in 12 seconds
852 ftFlight 4, in 59 seconds

Short Version
At a Glance
Why Kitty Hawk
1900 to 1902: learning to glide
December 17, 1903
After Kitty Hawk, and remembering it
Visit
FAQ

First powered flight at Kill Devil Hills, December 17, 1903: the Wright Flyer a few feet off the ground — The first powered, controlled flight, 120 feet in 12 seconds, at Kill Devil Hills on December 17, 1903. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppprs-00626 (photograph attributed to John T. Daniels). Rights: No known restriction on publication (Library of Congress rights advisory, read on its Wikimedia Commons file page).

The Short Version

The brothers chose the Outer Banks for its steady winds after writing to the U.S. Weather Bureau. They tested gliders in 1900, 1901 and 1902, and the 1902 glider was the first aircraft with three-axis control. Four powered flights on December 17, 1903 followed, and a gust of wind damaged the Flyer after the last one.

At a Glance

Date	What happened	Source
1867 and 1871	Wilbur Wright was born in 1867 near Millville, Indiana. Orville Wright was born in 1871 in Dayton, Ohio. The family treated Dayton as home.	nps.gov
September 12, 1900	Wilbur arrived at Kitty Hawk. Orville joined him about two weeks later. The brothers picked the Outer Banks after writing to the U.S. Weather Bureau, for its steady winds and sand dunes to cushion landings.	nps.gov
October 18, 1900	Wilbur made an unpowered glide of roughly 300 to 400 feet, lasting up to 15 seconds. The brothers left on October 23, 1900.	nps.gov
July 17 to August 16, 1901	The brothers tested a larger glider at Kill Devil Hills. Their best flight covered 389 feet.	nps.gov
August 27, 1902	The brothers returned with a new glider with a movable rudder, the first aircraft with three-axis control. Wilbur's best glide covered 622 feet in 26 seconds.	nps.gov
September 23, 1903	The brothers left Dayton for Kitty Hawk with their powered airplane, after about four years of experiments.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	Flight 1: Orville flew at 10:35 a.m. for 12 seconds and 120 feet. The Flyer left a starting rail into a 27-mph wind.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	Flight 2: Wilbur flew about 175 feet in about 12 seconds.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	Flight 3: Orville flew about 200 feet in about 15 seconds.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	Flight 4: Wilbur flew 852 feet in 59 seconds, the longest of the day.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	John Daniels, from the nearby lifesaving station, took the famous photograph of Orville's takeoff with Wilbur running alongside.	nps.gov
December 17, 1903	After the last flight a gust of wind rolled the Flyer, damaging it beyond easy repair.	nps.gov
September 3, 1908	Orville made the first public flight at Fort Myer, Virginia.	nps.gov
May 30, 1912 and January 30, 1948	Wilbur died on May 30, 1912. Orville died on January 30, 1948.	nps.gov

Why Kitty Hawk

Wilbur and Orville Wright were self-taught engineers from Dayton, Ohio. They wanted a place with strong, steady wind and soft sand to land on. After writing to the U.S. Weather Bureau, they chose the Outer Banks near Kitty Hawk. (source)

Wilbur reached Kitty Hawk on September 12, 1900, and Orville followed about two weeks later. (source)

1900 to 1902: Learning to Glide

In 1900 the brothers first tested a glider on the Outer Banks. In 1901 they came back with a bigger one and flew as far as 389 feet. Wind-tunnel tests in Dayton then showed that earlier lift tables were largely correct. (source)

In 1902 they flew a new glider with a movable rudder nearly 1,000 times. It was the first aircraft with three-axis control. By then they had made over a thousand glides from Big Kill Devil Hill before trying powered flight. (source)

December 17, 1903

On the morning of December 17, 1903, the brothers made four powered flights. The first, with Orville at the controls at 10:35 a.m., lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. The next two covered about 175 feet in about 12 seconds and about 200 feet in about 15 seconds. The fourth, flown by Wilbur, went 852 feet in 59 seconds. (source)

A 27-mph wind blew into the Flyer. Volunteers from the nearby lifesaving station helped, and one of them, John Daniels, took the famous photograph. After the last flight a gust of wind rolled the Flyer over and damaged it. (source)

After Kitty Hawk, and Remembering It

Orville made the first public flight on September 3, 1908, at Fort Myer, Virginia. Wilbur died on May 30, 1912, and Orville on January 30, 1948. (source)

Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills marks the spot. Visitors can walk up Big Kill Devil Hill to the monument and walk the flight line where the first flights landed. The First Flight Society, based in Kill Devil Hills, works to keep the Wrights' legacy alive through education and events. (source)

Where to Visit

Wright Brothers National Memorial: NPS site in Kill Devil Hills (address 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo). Monument on Big Kill Devil Hill, copper busts, a boulder and plaque where the 1903 flyer took off, and the flight line you can walk. Open every day except December 25. Phone 252-473-2111. Check the park's pages for current hours and fees.
First Flight Society: Non-profit based in Kill Devil Hills that preserves the Wright brothers' legacy with aviation education, events and memberships.

On this site: Wright Brothers National Memorial, Outer Banks, Outer Banks Long Weekend.

Still Unconfirmed

The National Park Service first-flight page does not name the pilots of flights 2 and 3; they come from its overview article about the brothers.
Hours and fees for the memorial were not on the page we read, which is dated 2021, so check the park before you go. We did not confirm a visitor center or reconstructed camp buildings.
The First Flight Society page we read did not give its founding year.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Wright brothers' first flight?

On the morning of December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk. The first flight, with Orville at the controls, started at 10:35 a.m.

How long and far were the four flights?

Flight 1: 12 seconds, 120 feet. Flight 2: about 12 seconds, about 175 feet. Flight 3: about 15 seconds, about 200 feet. Flight 4: 59 seconds, 852 feet.

Why did the Wright brothers choose Kitty Hawk?

After writing to the U.S. Weather Bureau, they picked it for its strong, steady winds and sand dunes that cushioned landings.

Who took the famous photo of the first flight?

John Daniels, from the nearby lifesaving station, took the photo of Orville's takeoff with Wilbur running alongside.

Can I visit where the first flight happened?

Yes. Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills is open every day except December 25. You can walk the flight line and climb Big Kill Devil Hill to the monument.

More North Carolina History

Sources

Read on October 27, 2026. Secondary sources are labelled in their titles. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? tell us.

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “The Wright Brothers and The First Flight”, itsnorthcarolina.com/history/wright-brothers-and-aviation/ (updated 2026-10-27). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.