When did the first airplane fly?

Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the milestone on the morning of 17 December 1903 on the windy dunes near Kitty Hawk. Orville piloted the first flight, which lasted about 12 seconds and covered roughly 37 metres. The brothers made four flights that day, and the longest, flown by Wilbur, lasted 59 seconds and travelled about 260 metres. Their success came from years of careful research into wing shapes, control surfaces, and a lightweight engine of their own design. The achievement launched the age of powered aviation and reshaped travel and warfare within a few decades.