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The wrights had successfully tested gliders at Kitty Hawk NC and were now at home in Dayton OH. They needed a motor, one lighter than 200 LBS that could generate 8 HP. After writing to a bunch of car companies only one said they could provide one. After looking it over they decided it mite not work right. This is when they decided to take the challenge of building one themselves, they had built a motor before to run the machines in there bicycle shop, but that was it, that was there only experience. Mr. C. E. Taylor ran the machines in the Wright Cycle Company, the name of their bicycle shop, and helped a lot with the motor. They finished the motor and it generated more power than required. They found that when the motor was finished it created 16 HP and then dropped to 12 HP which was plenty enough.
They needed a propeller now and at first tried to look at marine propellers, but didn't have the time or money to convert water pressure to air pressure. They decided to test different propeller designs, and use two that spin in opposite directions. They placed the motor on the opposite side of the pilot so if they dived into the ground the motor wouldn't hit them. Also they used runners as skids so it would not roll over when it hit the ground. They decided to test there chains for the motor to propeller and found it to be perfect, but too weak, and used stronger metal.
When they came to Kitty Hawk again they found the building they used needed to be repaired, which they did, and when they were finished there equipment and machinery arrived. On Monday December 14, they tested there machine at Kill Devil Hills, and Wilber was to fly it, he however was not successful, and the machine dug it's skids into sand and it broke.
After the repairs on Thursday December 17 it was Orville's turn, and he flew the Wright flyer 12 seconds, and 540 feet! Man had flown a heavier than air machine!
Sources How We Made the First Flight by Orville Wright
