1. The Wright brothers, Orvile and Wilber, made humanity's first heavier than air flight on December 17, 1903 along the beach at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds, covered only 120 feet, and rose to a maximum altitude of 10 feet! But it was a flight that started the aviation age and changed the world forever.

2. The Wright Flyer, as it was called, was a fixed wing aircraft , powered by a 12-horsepower, four-cylinder, water-cooled gasoline engine. It was hand-built in the Wright brothers' shop by their mechanic, Charlie Taylor. This custom engine exceeded their initial goal of 8 horsepower and was crucial to achieving the first powered flight.

3. When its engine pushes and airplane through the air, air moves faster over the top of the wing than underneath the wing. This creates lower pressure above the wing and higher pressure below—this pressure supplies the lift that pushes the plane up. Thus it flies, as long as it continues moving through the air at sufficient speed.

4. Food tastes different during a flight. High altitude affects taste buds. This is normal and harmless.

5. The Stratolaunch, nicknamed "Roc," is the world's largest aircraft by wingspan (385 feet) and was designed to carry rockets or hypersonic vehicles high into the atmosphere for mid-air launch. It's powered by six jet engines and can carry up to 500,000 pounds. It's still in active development as of 2026 but not yet in regular service.

6. On passenger planes, Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals on flights to reduce the risk of both becoming ill from food poisoning.

7. The speed of planes varies depending on the type of aircraft. Commercial jets fly at speeds of around 500 to 600 miles per hour (800 to 965 kilometers per hour). Planes can fly at different altitudes depending on their purpose. Commercial airliners usually fly at altitudes between 30,000 and 40,000 feet (9,000 to 12,000 meters) above sea level.