Wright Seaplane Base

Here on the Miami River in 1913, Orville Wright made the first successful takeoff and landing from water in a Wright Model C airplane fitted with a pontoon. Rivers and lakes could provide no-cost runways for seaplanes, unimpeded by such obstacles as power lines, bridges, buildings, or roads. This stretch of river bends 90 degrees, enabling pilots to take off or land into the wind from nearly any direction. The complete Aviation Trail includes about 45 sites that highlight Dayton and the Miami River valley's significant contributions to the invention of flight and the aviation industry.

West Carrollton, Ohio · United States