Fort Myer was the Wright brothers’ 1908 demonstration site near Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Army invited the brothers to demonstrate an airplane capable of carrying a pilot and passenger while meeting military performance requirements. Wilbur Wright conducted the public demonstrations at Fort Myer, Virginia, in 1908. The flights attracted military officials, journalists, and large crowds.
These demonstrations helped persuade the Army that the airplane could become a practical military machine. The Wrights’ work at Fort Myer contributed to the Army’s purchase of a Wright aircraft and to the creation of an early military aviation program.
Fort Myer is sometimes confused with nearby Washington locations or with the Wrights’ later demonstrations in France. Their European flights in 1908 took place at Le Mans and other French sites, while Fort Myer was the key U.S. Army demonstration ground.