Why did the Wright brothers leave the Wright Company in the early 1910s?

The decision of the Wright brothers to leave the Wright Company in the early 1910s was heavily influenced by personal circumstances, particularly the death of Wilbur in 1912. Wilbur was not only a co-founder but also a driving force in the company's direction and strategy. His untimely passing left Orville to navigate the company, facing the challenges of running a business largely without his brother's vision and leadership.

Orville's strengths lay in engineering and aviation innovation rather than in business management, making it difficult for him to sustain the company in a rapidly evolving market filled with competition and emerging technologies. Without Wilbur, the company's cohesion and strategic direction were compromised, leading Orville to step away from the business aspect of aviation and eventually focus more on his passions related to design and engineering.

This context illustrates how the combination of personal loss and a lack of business acumen led to their departure from the Wright Company, rather than a simple desire to pursue different careers, seek government contracts, or the pressures of competition from other firms.