The Wright Military Flyer
By Cydney Platt
The Wright Military Flyer was the first military plane. Flight trials began at Fort Myer, Virginia in September of 1908. On September 17, 1908 after days of successful flights an incident happened. Orville Wright crashed the aircraft and killed Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge. Fortunately, Orville survived with many severe injuries. After a year of improving the airplane, Orville and Wilbur decided to see if the Army Air Corp would purchase their flyer after the tragedy that happened just a year before. The Air Corp accepted, but there was only one way to make sure that the plane was safe. They put it to the test, and the Wright Flyer aced the test! The Corp then bought it for $30,000. The Wright Military Flyer started a new world of technology and flying for the Army Air Corp and the people who travel by air even today.