Wilbur Wright (1867 - 1912) was an American inventor and aviation pioneer, best known for his role in the first successful powered flight. Along with his brother, Orville Wright, Wilbur made history on December 17, 1903, when they achieved the first controlled, sustained flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in their aircraft, the Flyer. Wilbur, born on April 16, 1867, was the key strategist and engineer behind their experiments, contributing greatly to the design and development of their planes. Before his work in aviation, he and his brother were also skilled in building bicycles, which helped them develop the engineering skills needed for flight. After their success, the Wright brothers continued to improve upon their aircraft, leading to significant advancements in aviation. Wilbur Wright died in 1912 at the age of 45 from typhoid fever, but his legacy as a pioneering figure in the history of flight endures.