First in Flight: The Wright Brothers in North Carolina

by Stephen Kirk

When Wilbur and Orville Wright arrived on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in the year 1900, they were unknown bicycle mechanics who dreamed of powered flight. Even after they achieved the first heavier-than-air, powered flight in the dunes of Kill Devil Hills on December 17, 1903, they remained obscure. But by the time of Orville’s last flights on the Outer Banks in 1911, they were two of the most famous men of the twentieth century. In  First in Flight , author Stephen Kirk describes in marvelous detail the undeniable influence that the landscape and people of the Outer Banks had on the Wright Brothers’ quest for flight and, in turn, the lasting effect that the Wright brothers’ success had on this once-desolate region. With its lively and often humorous narrative,  First in Flight  presents a broader context for the Wrights’ activities on the Outer Banks than any other book about the famous brothers. It details every aspect of the Wrights’ life on the North Carolina coast―the lifesavers they associated with, the local citizens they befriended, the other outsiders who came to the Outer Banks to participate in and report on their experiments, the Wrights’ perspective on local lifestyles, and the locals’ perspective on them.

341 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

Reviews

[TOMMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like historical facts this account is loaded with it. Names, places, dates, chronological events. All the particulars of the Wright brothers efforts in getting a heavier than air vehicle to fly under power. They were bicycle repairmen in Dayton Ohio who had an interest in the concept of men being able to fly. This book chronicles their efforts to build and fly the first airplane. At the turn of the century there were so many quacks and false claims of inventors flying that their feat was barely noticed and even then it was not believed. The boys had to invent practically everything associated with flying - including the engine. They had experimented for several years with gliders and for three years starting in 1901 took several versions to Kitty Hawk N.C to experiment and test their concepts. They did it all in virtual secrecy since no one thought they could possibly be successful. When they finally succeeded in December 1903, there were few witnesses. This book tells the whole story from original concept through failures and harsh conditions finally to success and the aftereffects of that success. This is non-fiction at it's best.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I try and read books about the places that I visit while I am there, it helps to bring some context to the place and helps me to understand why others may have found it influential or important. Found this book at the B&B we stayed at, in the sightline from the Wright Brothers Memorial monument in Kill Devil Hills a few weeks ago. I nice quick read, but full of details and information that goes way beyond what you will get from a visit to the Memorial. The park rangers there give a fantastic talk and to be able to walk in what we believe to be the actual flight path of the flights is amazing. The back story is even better. Knowing all the things that happen before the historic day in 1903, the competition, the theories, the espionage of the press. Then to find out what happened after! We take flight for granted now, even despise it in some ways, yet to find out that the whole world basically sighed a collective Meh?!? when it happened, and that the brothers had to go on a cross country sales tour was enlightening. The fact that NC and OH are still fighting about it on their license plates is even funnier in perspective. A great beach book that is even better when it is read along the very dunes where it all took place.

[José]

En español se titula "Pioneros del Aire", este libro documenta de manera muy objetiva los problemas que tuvieron que pasar los Hermanos Wright para poder alcanzar el sueño de volar, muy motivador, lo leí sabiendo un poco con lo que me iba a encontrar, lo motivante es ver a los Hnos. Wright levantarse una y otra vez para intentarlo nuevamente hasta alcanzar el éxito.

[Martha Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I didn't understand the technical parts of airplane design, etc., but I enjoyed the story. I wish I had read this before I went to Washington, D.C., this summer and visited the Smithsonian. I would have appreciated the displays so much more.

[Gastón Nusimovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book on how the Wright brothers succeeded where many others failed so miserably.

Kind regards, GEN

[Laura]

Starts out well but then gets into boring discussion of legal battles and who was or was not present during the first flight.