AOPA, EAA, Others Gear Up For Centennial Celebration--ANN IS THERE!

Aviators from around the world are making their way to North Carolina this week, to celebrate the first 100 years of powered flight. AOPA members will be well represented with one of the largest contributions to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. While AOPA will be joining other exhibitors with temporary aviation displays, as an Official First Flight Centennial Sponsor, AOPA's major contribution will have a lasting impact.

"Our contribution is about ensuring the future and inspiring the next generations of aviators," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "AOPA members have given the nation a state-of-the-art pilot facility at First Flight Airfield right next to the Wright Brothers Memorial, which will serve generations of pilots and visitors to come."

AOPA members' donation of the pilot facility is one of the largest contributions to the anniversary celebration and the only new structure that will remain after the celebration is complete. Pilots who visit the facility from now on are invited to "sign" an online guest registry and receive a certificate from AOPA commemorating their visit to aviation's hallowed sands.

The association will be at Kill Devil Hills December 12-17, with a display celebrating general aviation and AOPA's role in defending GA's interests for well over half of powered flight's history.

Joining the static aircraft display is AOPA's Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes aircraft, a lovingly restored 1940 Waco UPF-7 biplane.

AOPA will also have a role in the ceremony on December 17 itself. AOPA's Boyer will take part in the commemoration, as the association will be honored for its contributions.

The pilot facility includes state-of-the-art weather and flight planning computers, wall-mounted aeronautical charts, and phone access to flight service personnel. It also houses office space for an air tours concessionaire and rest rooms and a vending area for both pilots and visitors on the western side of the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

The building itself is built to withstand the Outer Banks' fierce weather, including hurricanes, for at least 50 years. It was constructed using funds supplied by AOPA members and is owned and operated by the National Park Service.

EAA AirVenture Museum Gets Into The Act

For those who can't make it to Kitty Hawk, the EAA's AirVenture museum in Oshkosh (WI) will offer a live showing, via satellite, of the re-creation of the Wright brothers’ first flight. The program will originate from Kitty Hawk on Wednesday. This flight, in an exact reproduction of the Wrights’ 1903 Flyer, is the centerpiece of EAA’s Countdown to Kitty Hawk celebration, sponsored by Ford Motor Company.

On the evening of Dec. 17, renowned test pilot Dick Rutan will be the featured speaker at a banquet hosted by EAA that commemorates the Wrights’ 12-second flight that changed the world. During the EAA AirVenture Museum’s celebration visitors can also enjoy theatrical productions and movies focusing on flight, participate in a number of hands-on aviation activities and even send a piece of air mail through a temporary, official cancellation station of the US Postal Service at the museum.

Erik Lindbergh and the Microsoft Flight Simulator team will offer a one-hour hands-on exploration of the 1903 Wright Flyer and how, 100 years ago, the Wright brothers launched the aviation industry. Visitors can study the mechanics of the 1903 Wright Flyer with simulated flight footage and an open-forum educational session with the Microsoft Flight Simulator team. They can also talk with Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh, as he provides simulated flying lessons on the 1903 Wright Flyer and Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis"

Visitors who "fly" the sim will be able to use their hands and hips to recreate the historic flight of Orville and Wilbur Wright aboard the Microsoft 1903 Wright Flyer Simulator cradles. The simulation will be open to the public on Tuesday.

"This week is a once-in-a-lifetime event for flight enthusiasts, because the invention of powered flight forever changed how we live," said Adam Smith, EAA AirVenture Museum Director. "EAA is the center of personal flight for millions of people around the world, so it is fitting that we put together a very special week of celebration here in Oshkosh, along with our highly anticipated activities in Kitty Hawk."

FMI: www.centennialofflight.gov