What was the Wright brothers’ first aircraft to complete a controlled, sustained flight in 1905?

The Wright Flyer III was the first Wright brothers aircraft to complete controlled, sustained flights in 1905. It was the third powered airplane built by the brothers and the culmination of their experiments with the 1903 Flyer and 1904 Flyer II.

Flyer III incorporated major improvements to the elevator and rudder, making the aircraft far easier to control. The brothers could fly repeated circuits at Huffman Prairie near Dayton, Ohio, rather than making only short straight flights.

On October 5, 1905, Wilbur flew the aircraft for 39 minutes 23 seconds, covering about 24 miles. That performance convinced the brothers that they had developed a practical airplane suitable for demonstration and possible sale.

The name can be confusing because the 1903 aircraft is often called Flyer I, while the 1904 aircraft is called Flyer II. The 1905 Flyer III was the first of the three to achieve sustained practical flight.