at kitty hawk, about 55 seconds. [video clip] >> and 1903, 2 bicycle mechanics felt they had a heavier than air machine that could carry a man aloft in controlled flight. wilbur and orville wright, after four years of experimentation, gave the glider and 12 horsepower engine which they designed themselves. the engine powered to push propellers. december 17, 1903 was a windy day at kitty hawk, north carolina. by the toss of the coin, orville won a chance to become the first man in history to fly under power. the first flight covering a distance of 120 feet, lasted only 12 seconds. four flights were made that day, and the last flight covered 852 feet and 59 seconds. brian: did you say that that plane was never used again? david: the end of that film, that was not the plane that flew a kitty hawk, that is the one that was developed -- the plain they flew a kitty hawk was not a practical plan, all it really did was take off and land. they didn't know how to bank and turn. it wasn't until 1905 that they perfected that kin

at kitty hawk? david: orville was in his late 30's, in wilbur was in his 40's. brian: when they were starting how old are they? david: they got going in 1899. wilbur would have been in his 30's, orville might have already been in his 40's -- i have to do the math. brian: what is the difference is between the ages? david: 4.5 years. katherine and orville were closest in age. wilbur and orville could fight like dogs. they could argue something terrible. by the end of the argument, they would switch sides. it was a riot. arguing was their way of working problems out. as charlie taylor said, they were not mad at each other, they were just trying to get to the answer and they had different ideas of how to get to it and that is one of the ways they would get to it. brian: there is another name chanute air force base in illinois. it's shut down. you write about a guy named chanute. david: he was born in france and came to america. he was one of the preeminent civil engineers of his day, a great bridge builder, a railroad builder, who took an active interest in flight.

at kitty hawk, about 55 seconds.video clip] >> in 1903, 2 bicycle mechanics felt they had a heavier than air machine that could carry a man aloft in controlled flight. wilbur and orville wright, after four years of experimentation, gave the glider and 12 horsepower engine which they designed themselves. the engine powered to push her-type propellers. december 17, 1903 was a windy day at kitty hawk, north carolina. by the toss of the coin, orville won a chance to become the first man in history to fly under power. the first flight covering a distance of 120 feet, lasted only 12 seconds. four flights were made that day, and the last flight covered 852 feet and 59 seconds. -- in 59 seconds. brian: did you say that that plane was never used again? david: the end of that film, that was not the plane that flew at kitty hawk, that is the one that was developed -- the plaintiff with a kitty hawk was not a practical plan, all the really did was take off and land. they didn't know how to bank and turn. it wasn't until 1905 tha