25 Wright Brothers Quotes to Fuel Your Passion

By Norbert Juma | Published September 2, 2023

Take off and fly with our Wright Brothers quotes!

Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright are referred to as the Wright Brothers.

Their story is an inspiring tale of their quest to fly and ultimate success.

Learn more about these fascinating historical figures with the Wright Brothers quotes below!

Early Life and Passion to Fly

The Wright Brothers lived in Ohio, United States, and their pursuit of a dream to fly has changed the way humans used to travel across countries.

After years of research and experimentation, the Wright Brothers successfully achieved the goal of a powered and sustained flight.

This achievement made air travel a reality, leading to modern aviation’s foundation.

Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1867, while his younger brother Orville Wright was born on August 19, 1871.

They were raised in a family that was well-educated and valued creativity.

This helped the Wright Brothers explore their interests and follow their dreams.

The Dream of Flight

Apart from other people of their era who were passionate about flying, the Wright Brothers believed flying was possible.

They were confident based on their systematic experimentations and scientific principles.

They studied the aeronautical works of the past and gained the necessary inspiration to fly through the skies.

Pioneering Achievements

On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright successfully piloted the first powered flight.

This experiment was conducted at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, covering 120 feet in 12 seconds.

After some hours, Wilbur also took a flight covering a distance of 852 feet.

These short flights served as the foundation of modern aviation.

Contributions

After conducting successful experiments, the Wright Brothers improved the flight time and refined their aircraft.

They conducted flight demonstrations and impressed the people working with the aviation community.

Wright Brothers soon attracted attention from investors around the world.

Their first practical aircraft was “Wright Flyer III,” built in 1905.

It was capable of flying long distances and taking controlled turns.

Wright Brothers received various honors instead of their achievements.

Hence, they are still known as the pioneers of aviation.

Top 5 Wright Brothers Quotes

These are top quotes by the Wright brothers that show their skills and determination.

1. “No bird soars in a calm.” — Wilbur Wright.

2. “What is chiefly needed is skill rather than machinery.” — Wilbur Wright

3. “The airplane stays up because it doesn’t have the time to fall.” — Orville Wright

4. “If birds can glide for long periods of time, then… why can’t I?” — Orville Wright

5. “Do not let yourself be forced into doing anything before you are ready.” — Wilbur Wright

Wright Brothers Quotes About Desire for Flying

The Wright brothers greatly desired flying, which they fulfilled through hard work. These quotes show their desire to fly.

6. “I confess that in 1901, I said to my brother Orville that man would not fly for 50 years.” — Wilbur Wright

7. “The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport.” — Orville Wright

8. “No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris…[because] no known motor can run at the requisite speed for four days without stopping.” — Orville Wright

9. “The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” — Orville Wright

10. “I am an enthusiast, but not a crank in the sense that I have some pet theories as to the proper construction of a flying machine. I wish to avail myself of all that is already known and then, if possible, add my mite to help on the future worker who will attain final success.” — Wilbur Wright

Wright Brothers Quotes Showing Background & Struggle

These quotes are based on the background and struggle of the Wright brothers. These quotes show how to do hard work despite hardships.

11. “It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.” — Wilbur Wright

12. “If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance.” — Orville Wright

13. “If I were giving a young man advice as to how he might succeed in life, I would say to him, pick out a good father and mother, and begin life in Ohio.” — Wilbur Wright

14. “We were lucky enough to grow up in an environment where there was always much encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests; to investigate whatever aroused curiosity.” — Orville Wright

15. “With all the knowledge and skill acquired in thousands of flights in the last ten years, I would hardly think today of making my first flight on a strange machine in a twenty-seven-mile wind, even if I knew that the machine had already been flown and was safe.” — Orville Wright

Wright Brothers Quotes That Will Motivate You

The Wright brothers are a great source of motivation for you. Their journey inspires everyone.

16. “We could hardly wait to get up in the morning.” — Wilbur Wright

17. “Isn’t it astonishing that all these secrets have been preserved for so many years just so we could discover them!” — Orville Wright

18. “Man, by reason of his greater intellect, can more reasonably hope to equal birds in knowledge than to equal nature in the perfection of her machinery.” — Wilbur Wright

19. “We wrote to a number of the best-known automobile manufacturers in an endeavor to secure a motor for the new machine. Not receiving favorable answers from any of these, we proceeded to design a motor of our own.” — Orville Wright

20. “There is no sport equal to that which aviators enjoy while being carried through the air on great white wings. More than anything else, the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost if you can conceive of such a combination.” — Wilbur Wright

Wright Brothers Quotes About Experiments with Machines

The Wright brothers performed various experiments with machines to make flying possible. Here are some of them are shared as follows.

21. “The fact that the great scientist believed in flying machines was the one thing that encouraged us to begin our studies.” — Wilbur Wright

22. “It was the first time in the history of the world that a machine carrying a man and driven by a motor had lifted itself from the ground in free flight.” — Orville Wright

23. “The balancing of a flyer may seem, at first thought, to be a very simple matter, yet almost every experimenter had found in this one point which he could not satisfactorily master.” — Orville Wright

24. “When the machine was flown as a kite, the wing with the greater angle always had the greater lift, because the kite cords or cables prevented one wing from attaining a higher speed through the air than the other.” — Orville Wright

25. “The ability to do this so quickly was largely due to the enthusiastic and efficient services of Mr. C.E. Taylor, who did all the machine work in our shop for the first as well as the succeeding experimental machines.” — Orville Wright