Inventing the airplane was not easy. Nor was it a feat of genius. Wilbur and Orville Wright were successful where so many others failed because they were engineers. The Wright Engineers: Inventing the Airplane, puts the reader elbow-to-elbow with the brothers as they solve the many technical challenges that finally led to success. They even faced discouragement, Wilbur lamenting, “Not within a thousand years would man ever fly.” But with determination and good engineering practice, the brothers knocked down the obstacles one by one, inventing new technologies and discovering the basic science of flight. Their marriage of aeronautical science and aircraft technology took flight on that cold windy day in 1903 and opened the era of modern aviation. This lavishly illustrated book is perfect for educating and inspiring middle-grade students who are interested in aviation or becoming an engineer.