The moment the Wright Brothers took to the skies above Kitty Hawk in December of 1903, people longed to follow in their footsteps. Armed with the tools and the knowledge, these courageous people sought to take flight under their own power. The Wright Brothers were more than happy to oblige. Still, it would take a few more years to open the first training center for novice pilots.
So, when was the first flight school created? Less than a decade later. Read on to learn more about the early days of aviation training.
Building the rules
Though innovative and experimental, the Wright Brothers were not reckless. That’s why it took a few years for the brothers to develop the fundamentals of aviation. While their plane flew from a North Carolina airfield on that first fateful day, that state wasn’t the place where the Wrights spent most of their time.
In fact, the Wright Brothers developed the basics of flight (and flight training) at a place called Huffman Prairie in Dayton, OH. Months after completing their first flight, the brothers got permission to run test flights at the expansive field. From here, they worked on their design and launched more than 150 flights between 1904 and 1905. These test runs helped the inventors build the Wright Flyer III, the first practical airplane.
Establishing a school
You’re probably wondering when the first flight school in America was created—but the “why” is actually a lot more interesting. As soon as the Wright Brothers developed their first plane, they were quickly followed into the market by several competitors who attempted to sell their aircraft to potential buyers. The Wright Brothers found themselves with a unique problem. How could they take their miraculous invention across the nation without being everywhere at once? They needed to show the world the majesty of flight and teach buyers to use planes they’d purchased. They needed help.
In early 1910, the Wright Flying School began operations in Montgomery, AL. However, it wasn’t long before the Wright Brothers relocated their new flight school back home to Dayton, OH, where they continued to put potential pilots (men and women alike) through a rigorous training course.
Over the next six years, the Wright Brothers and a handful of their pupils taught more than 100 people to fly. These pilots then traveled the nation flying in dangerous and daring exhibitions, sharing the newfound joys of flight with the rest of the United States.
First Flight Aviation
More than a century after the first flight school was created in Dayton, OH, the sheer joy of private flight hasn’t abated. While the world grows bored of large commercial jets, more and more people are rediscovering the beauty of flying in private aircraft.
First Flight Aviation wants to be there to help. We have everything you need to experience your dreams of flight in the place where flight was developed. We offer sales of a variety of aircraft. We also have the technicians on hand to keep your plane in top shape. Need hangar space? We have you covered there, as well. Finally, for new flight enthusiasts, we can provide an enormous array of lessons at our flight school in Dayton, OH. Give us a call today to find out more!