Wright Brothers’ Aeroplane Test at Fort Myer (1909)

This B&W silent recording documents the official test flight of the Wright Brothers’ military airplane at Fort Myer on July 27, 1909. The aircraft was piloted by Orville Wright and the passenger was Frank Laum. The flight lasted more than an hour and demonstrated maneuverability, altitude, and speed.

From the National Archives. Run time: 6 min. 24 sec.

For more information, visit the National Archives website at: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2003/winter/aero-conference-2.html