The Wright Brothers and Their Flying Machines lecture given by Dorian DeMaio

Park City Museum will host a lecture called The Wright Brothers and Their Flying Machines given by Dorian DeMaio on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 from 5-6 p.m. held at the Education and Collections Center located at 2079 Sidewinder Drive. More information can be found at www.parkcityhistory.org.

There is a common misconception that the Wright Brothers “tinkered” their airplane together in a bicycle shop and flew it into history, realizing humankind’s long-held dream of flight. But this simplification diminishes the full scope of their achievements. Who were the Wright Brothers and how did they succeed where others failed? The real story is complex and a tribute to their inventive genius and persistence.

Their success was the product of applying a scientific approach involving years of thoughtful analysis, experiment, design, test and redesign, the foundation of today’s airplane development. Not only did they risk their lives flight testing each of their new airplanes, but they struggled to gain recognition and to preserve their legacy as the inventors of true flight.

On the centennial anniversary year of the Wrights’ famous first flight, Park City resident and pilot Dorian De Maio flew his airplane to Dayton and Kitty Hawk to follow the Wrights’ journey in unraveling the mystery of flight. Join him in discovering how the Wrights created their flying machines overcoming numerous technical and personal obstacles–a human interest story that still resonates today.