Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved on 17 December 1903 the first powered, sustained, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air machine with the Flyer I, covering 36 meters on the first attempt and 260 meters on the fourth. Their contribution was not merely taking off, but integrating engine, wing-warping system, and control surfaces into an operational in-flight control system that allowed later development. Although debates exist about precursors, the most historically robust account remains that the Wrights achieved the first controlled, sustained flight with a powered airplane.