The first successful airplane was invented by the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright. They achieved the first powered, controlled flight on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their aircraft, the Wright Flyer, was innovative in its use of a lightweight design and a three-axis control system that allowed the pilot to steer the plane effectively. This achievement marked the beginning of the aviation era and laid the foundation for future developments in flight technology.