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Setting the scene
Aviation pioneers in Europe and America chased powered flight, but no one had yet sustained controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight in a craft carrying a pilot.
What happened
Orville and Wilbur Wright's Flyer lifted off at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903; Orville's first hop lasted twelve seconds and covered 120 feet.
Why it still matters
That brief flight launched the aviation age and proved that bicycle mechanics from Ohio could out-engineer better-funded rivals. Memorable detail: the Wrights flew four times that day, with Wilbur's longest attempt reaching 852 feet in 59 seconds.
Background
The 12-second hop launched the aviation age.