American Ingenuity: The Wright Brothers

On this date, December 17th, we mark the 110th anniversary of the historic first flight in an airplane by the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The White House issued a proclamation earlier today by President Barack Obama marking today as “Wright Brothers Day” (www.whitehouse.gov).

I have always been appreciative of the spirit of inventors like the Wright brothers, who were so focused and committed to solving a problem, curing a disease, or creating a new way of accomplishing a specific task.

The Wright Brothers were dedicated to finding a way to control the movement of an aircraft so it could be maneuvered safely by a human operator. I learned a long time ago that the system they came up with for the controls and steering of a plane is still in use today and recognized as the industry standard.

The American spirit of ingenuity that was evident with the Wright brothers is the same spirit that will assist our country in the present day. We, as Americans, are striving to rebound from a terrible economic recession. The innovative thinking from the scientific, engineering, and high-tech sectors coupled with the determination of our small business community will help us as we move ahead.

All around our country, every single day, more and more people are deciding to start their own businesses.   These businesses provide products or services which help other people or improve our quality of life.

The Wright brothers were concerned with the same thing, they wanted to find a way to travel by air, since methods of travel over land and sea were already established; the air was the future. The inquisitive nature and adventurous spirit of these brothers from Dayton, Ohio served them well in their many experiments with flight. They had many setbacks, just as we all do in the work we attempt today, but they pressed forward with a resilience that is inherently American.

Whenever I have flown in an airplane, I think of the Wright brothers and how their dedication to finding a way to maneuver and control a fixed wing aircraft has impacted our entire world. The ability to travel safely by air and to ship products and medication by air has changed our world beyond comprehension.

I envision those windy days at Kitty Hawk back in 1903, and the excitement and optimism they must have received on this December day all those years ago after a 12 second flight in their most recent edition of an aircraft. The capability of Americans is extraordinary, and we need to draw upon that sense of courage and dedication in response to the obstacles that we now face.

The sense of purpose that was displayed by the Wright brothers serves as an inspiration to us all. It is a reminder that if we set our minds to achieve a goal the sky is the limit. Though in the case of the Wright brothers they conquered the sky too, so if we set our minds to accomplish something, the lengths we can go are truly limitless.