In a tiny bike shop, two brothers worked very hard, making printing presses, bikes, kites, and gliders. They were the Wright Brothers who invented and built the first flying machine, the airplane.

Orville Wright was born on August 19, 1871 in Dayton, Ohio and his older brother, Wilber Wright, was born on April 16, 1867 in a farm near Millville, Indiana. They also had two older brothers and a younger sister. Their father, Milton Wright, was a bishop in the United Brethren Church and their mother, Susan Catherine Wright, was a housewife.

When Orville was seven and Wilber was eleven, their dad brought home a surprise, partly hidden under his hands. Before the boys could even guess what it was, their father tossed it into the air, and it started to fly. Their fathers told them that it was a toy helicopter.  It was invented by a young Frenchman. The helicopter was made out of cork, bamboo, and paper. It was powered by a twisted rubber band attached to twin propellers, the boys were fascinated by the toy and told themselves that one-day they would fly.

While the boys were growing up, they were always tinkering with things. Though they were excellent students and loved to read and write, the brothers could not sit too long. Because they always wanted to get into action and to invent, design, and build new things. The Wright Brothers were also very determined to do things. Orville built kites and sold them to classmates.

The family moved to Richmond, India and back to Dayton, Ohio. It was the same month when Wilber graduated from high school. So Wilber didn't receive his diploma and returned to Central high School for further studies in Greek and trigonometry. Their mother died of tuberculosis in 1889. Wilber have to stay at home and took care of his mother during her long illness, Wilber was twenty-two then.

In 1888 Orville left high school to start a printing business since his big enthusiasm was printing.  Orville didn't receive his diploma either. In the printing business, Orville designed and built another printing press with Wilber's help. The machine also had a frame made out of scrap parts and fire -wood.
Wilber and Orville later sold their printing business and opened a bicycle shop to sell and repair bicycles. After a few years, their bicycle shop was a huge success since both brothers were talented mechanics and they could make or repair anything. The money they received from the bicycle shop supported them during their early years of aeronautical experiments.