Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the first flying machine, had always had a compelling interest in aeronautics and mechanics. As young boys, they earned money by making and selling kites and mechanical toys. Later, they built a printing press and operated a bicycle-repair shop. In 1903, the Wright brothers built their first airplane. They even designed and built their own source of propulsion - a lightweight gasoline engine. By 1905, they had perfected the first airplane that could remain airborne for half an hour at a time As the contributors of one of the most outstanding engineering achievements in history, the Wright brothers are called the fathers of aviation
The Wright brothers are called the fathers of aviation because they