Prior to the year 1903, the turn of the century had brought about an astounding new invention, Henry Ford's Model T. Although more convenient than its predecessor, the steam engine locomotive, or train, it was considerably less reliable in terms of cross-country travel. However, it was not until the last decade of the second industrial revolution that the train would soon become outdated. After several failed attempts at constructing an aerial mode of transportation, Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew their Wright Flyer in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. December 17, 1903 was a turning point not only in the way of transportation in the years to come, it immediately resounded with success in areas of flight schools and contracts with the military.
Within a few years of the first successful test flight, the Wright brothers began a flight school at Simms Station, Dayton, Ohio; there they trained and produced 119 certified pilots within six years of the start of the program. It was not long after that the Wright brothers' pioneering in the field of aviation attracted the attention of the military. Inevitably military contracts ensued and the Wright brothers began training soldiers for the military in aeronautics. "Once the Wrights had established a contract with the Army Signal Corps, they had to instruct the new pilots. Historian Timothy Warnock notes, "Orville personally trained or oversaw the training on Huffman Prairie, Dayton, Ohio, of at least 115 individuals."" (Warnock 53). Over time the planes that the Wright brother continued to invent changed the way of warfare for the military. Consequently, this led to advancements of the original Wright Flyer not only in combat but commercially as well. .
After completing the test flights in Kitty Hawk the brothers returned to their home in Dayton already realizing the potential impact of the flyer. Though the immediate success and impact of the flyer was found in military and combat aspects, they also found success in the creation of commercial flights.
