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Birthday Of Powered Flight - Countdown To Kittyhawk

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  • Birthday Of Powered Flight - Countdown To Kittyhawk

    EAA's COUNTDOWN TO KITTY HAWK EMBARKS ON YEARLONG PROGRAM TO CELEBRATE WRIGHT BROTHERS AND CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT
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    Aviation Group to Lead Nationwide Wright Flyer Reproduction Tour Along with Ford Motor Company, Microsoft Flight Simulator and Eclipse Aviation

    EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. -- (Dec. 16, 2002) -- With the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight one year away, excitement continues to build as plans evolve for EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk presented Ford Motor Company's yearlong celebration.

    Ninety-nine years to the date of the Wright brothers' first flight, the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission will kick off a yearlong national "Centennial of Flight: Born of Dreams - Inspired by Freedom: commemoration on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Actor, pilot and EAA member John Travolta will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event.

    "Countdown to Kitty Hawk represents a long-standing commitment by EAA and its partners to preserve the Wright brothers' legacy and honor mankind's aviation achievements over the past 100 years," said EAA President and U.S. Centennial of Flight Commissioner Tom Poberezny. "With the upcoming national kick-off event in Washington, D.C. (www.centennialofflight.gov), we're just one year away for the world to experience the magic of seeing EAA's 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction soar above the dunes in Kitty Hawk, N.C., as the Wright brothers did 99 years ago.

    "We're lucky to have tremendously innovative partners, like Ford Motor Company, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Eclipse Aviation and FLYING magazine on board, to make Countdown to Kitty Hawk and all of its program components a success."

    Countdown to Kitty Hawk is the most elaborate celebration of aviation in the past 100 years. Its touring pavilion with EAA's 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction, 1903 Wright Flyer simulators by Microsoft "Flight Simulator", exhibits on the Wright brothers, Henry Ford and aviation history as well activities for children will be the centerpiece of the celebration.

    Tour Schedule

    April 2 - 8, 2003: First Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's 2003 Wright Flyer at Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, Lakeland, Fla.

    June 13 - 16, 2003: Second Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's 2003 Wright Flyer at Ford Motor Company's 100th Anniversary Celebration, Dearborn, Mich.

    July 4 - 20, 2003: Third Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's 2003 Wright Flyer at Inventing Flight Celebration, Dayton, Ohio

    July 29 - Aug. 4, 2003: Fourth Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's 2003 Wright Flyer at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Oshkosh, Wis.

    Aug. 23 - Sept. 2, 2003: Fifth Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's 2003 Wright Flyer at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Wash.

    Dec. 13 - 17, 2003: Final Stop of U.S. Tour of EAA's Wright Flyer at Wright Brothers National Monument, Kitty Hawk, N.C.

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    Updates on Celebration Components

    Other Countdown to Kitty Hawk celebration component updates include:

    * EAA's "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk" - This program will select one EAA-member pilot from each of the 50 states to fly his or her respective state flag to the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, N.C., during 2003. Each pilot also will carry a proclamation from that state's Governor declaring the day of their flight "50 Flags to Kitty Hawk Day" for their respective state. Upon arriving in Kitty Hawk, each EAA-member pilot will be welcomed by the National Park Service, take part in the official NPS welcoming ceremonies, after which the flag of their respective state will be raised and flown throughout that day at the National Memorial.

    * Pilot of the Century Training - In July 2002, EAA and its Countdown to Kitty Hawk partners announced the four Pilots of the Century - Dr. Kevin Kochersberger of Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; Terry Queijo of Trappe, Md.; Ken Hyde of Warrenton, Va.; and Chris Johnson of Manassas, Va. One of these individuals will be selected to fly EAA's 1903 Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17, 2003. Candidates are well underway in their training preparations.

    * Engine Testing at Ford Motor Company - Thanks to Ford Motor Company's sponsorship of Countdown to Kitty Hawk, the engine for EAA's 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction will be tested at the automaker's facilities in early January 2003.

    * Fabric Covering for the Flyer - Once engine testing is completed, the 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction will be covered with fabric by the flyer's maker, Ken Hyde of The Wright Experience in Warrenton, Va. This likely will occur in mid-January.

    * Wind Tunnel Tests - Wind Tunnel tests for the flyer are planned for February 2003.

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    About EAA
    EAA, The Leader in Recreational Aviation, is an international association with 170,000 members and more than 1,000 local chapters. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or explore EAA's Wide Web site (www.eaa.org).

    About EAA's "Countdown to Kitty Hawk Presented By Ford Motor Company"
    EAA's "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" is a centennial celebration of the Wright brothers' first powered flight - an innovation that forever changed our world. Led by EAA, presented by Ford Motor Company, and supported by Microsoft "Flight Simulator" and Eclipse Aviation, this yearlong series of inspirational events honors the innovation and determination it takes to make world-changing dreams a reality. "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" features an interactive touring pavilion and the world's most accurate 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction that will exclusively re-enact the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 2003 - exactly 100 years later. For more information regarding the program, check the official "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" Web site (www.countdowntokittyhawk.org).
    Wayne Sagar
    "Pusher of Electrons"

  • #2
    It's amazing to see the EAA taking all the new resources and untold money to duplicate something done by a few daring young men all those years ago. I mean wind tunnel testing? I wonder......if they never invented an airplane, would we ever have needed or invented the wind tunnel? Now before I get flamed over it, I know they are doing it for safety reason. I mean God forbid anyone now having the daring to just try it. And if they did just go for it, and someone got hurt, the good ol US government would pass some feel good legislation banning amature building and flying of aircraft. It sure says alot about how far we have come, and the price we pay for it. My hats off to the Wright brothers, and all those who attempted but failed. May the dream live on...............

    Comment


    • #3
      I don't know Race5, you'll likely not get flamed here for much other than flaming someone else on the board. Personally, I'm happy to see them going to the effort but I know what you mean I guess about the wind tunnel but I'd be very interested to see what they come up with out of that.

      Amazing when you think of how little was known at the time and how well the Wrights did it with that limited knowledge. To "reverse engineer" the airplane now, using all the technology we currently have at hand and see how well they did it should be an interesting scientific study. Side benefit, of course, will be that the person flying the thing will have the benefit of that testing for his flying of same.

      All in all, not a bad thing, after all, the result of doing it wrong could be someone being injured, or worse..

      Gonna be a cool year for aviation!

      Wayne
      Wayne Sagar
      "Pusher of Electrons"

      Comment


      • #4
        I agree about this being a great year for aviation. I know many of our commercial pilots breathren need it. I just hope that after all the training and reverse engineering on that thing it actually flies......hopefully some test runs are in order. Whoever gets the pilot duties will have the biggest smile in 50 states.

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