Place

First Flight Landing

A block of granite with text that marks the pilot, distance and time of the first flight.
The First Flight landing marker

Sarah Merlau/NPS

Quick Facts
Location:
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Significance:
Historical Marker

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

On December 17, 1903, at approximately 10:35 am, Orville Wright piloted the 1903 Wright Flyer to this location after a brief, 12-second flight. Though the flight was a mere 120 feet (shorter than the length of a modern passenger airliner) in distance at an altitude of 8 feet, the brothers had achieved what was thought impossible. It was the first time in history a controllable, heavier-than-air flying machine took off from a level surface on its own power and landed at the same height from which it ascended.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

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Last updated: May 2, 2021