NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ACTIVITY REPORT
A huge congratulations to all those folks who worked tirelessly to make the December 12-17 celebration in North Carolina a success! For photos and information from the Celebration, visit www.firstflightcentennial.org and www.wrightexperience.com. Additional photos will be posted in January.
The last U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission and First Flight Centennial Federal Advisory Board meeting has been scheduled for February 6, 2004.
The Web trends data for the Commission Web site reported more than 2.6 million hits in November. In December, Web site hits totaled 3.7 million. There were more than 470,000 hits on December 17 alone!
Brad Tillson’s new business contact information is as follows:
2320 Kettering Tower
40 N. Main Street
Dayton, OH 45423
(937) 226-7264
brad@tillson.org
Chris Meyer is now the Director of Marketing Communications for McGraw-Hill Construction in NY. He can be reached at 212-904-3161 or by e-mail at chris_meyer@mcgraw-hill.com.
Famed aviation pioneer Harry Combs, who was recently honored during the First Flight Centennial Celebration, passed away December 23, 2003.
Partnership Updates:
North Carolina Secretary of Cultural Resources Libba Evans and Superintendent Larry Belli of the National Park Service Outer Banks Group have asked Jay Howard Events to produce a video of the December 17 event in N.C., which may also include a separate video of the December 16th program Honoring 100 Aviation Heroes. They hope to have it ready by February.
The FAA has received approval for its request to rename its buildings the Orville Wright Federal Office Building and the Wilbur Wright Federal Office Building.
Final preparations for the COFC/NASA presence at Kitty Hawk continued to be worked until the culminating event began on December 12, 2003. The NASA/COFC involvement included: NASA’s Centennial of Flight Exhibit (82'x131’); International Space Station Mock Up; Mobile Aeronautics Education Laboratory; Dare County Schools and NASA - Partners in Flight Tent (50'x50'); workshops for teachers at Manteo Middle School on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday mornings; presentations by Astronaut Dan Berry during the week; a five-member panel addressed NACA/NASA contributions to air and space flight and the future of flight; and a pre-taped message from the ISS broadcast on Wednesday, December 17.
“Orville & Wilbur: The Wright Brothers Legacy Exhibit” is at the Virginia Air & Space Museum from November 1, 2003 through January 11, 2004. This fascinating art exhibition from the Dayton Art Institute displays rare and unique images of and related to Orville and Wilbur Wright. It includes nearly 90 vintage gelatin silver prints, 20 large scale original color lithographs and other images documenting the first decade of powered flight in Europe.
For several months, members of the Goddard Flying Club worked with the National Park Service to provide replicas of two wing sections for a 1903 Wright Flyer, which were displayed for public viewing during the six-day First Flight Centennial Celebration at the Wright Brothers Memorial site in N.C.
As part of the Arizona Centennial of Flight Exhibition, the Arizona Wing, Commemorative Air Force teamed with the Experimental Aircraft Association to display EAA's half-size Wright Flyer in its Museum in Mesa. With Centennial Week, the exhibit saw a marked upswing in attendance.
United States Air Force Museum 2004 Events:
· “Wings and Things” Lecture Series, monthly (excluding June, July, August and December) at 7:30 p.m.
§ January 21: Mr. Kirk House – Hell Rider to King of the Air: Glenn Curtiss’ Life of Innovation
§ February 18: Mr. Keith Melton – Ultimate Spy – largest selling reference book the last 10 years
· Behind the Scenes Tours, every 2nd Friday of the month, June/July/August offered every Friday
· USAF Heritage Tours, daily at 1:30 p.m., additional tour on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
· Family Day, every 3rd Saturday of the month
· American Society of Aviation Art, January – July, this year’s theme is: “A Celebration of the Centennial of Powered Flight”
· Heritage Hearts and Heroes Concert by Air Force Band of Flight, February 13, 7:30 pm
· Read Across America, February 26-27
The Space Day Discussion Boards are operational at ePALS Classroom Exchange. Teachers/coaches can ask or answer other teacher’s questions in the Teacher Talk section. Students can ask and answer questions on the board relating to their specific Design Challenge. The Discussion Boards can be accessed through the Space Day Web site at www.spaceday.org. Click on Teachers/Event Planners, and then click on Space Day 2004 Design Challenges. Read page 11 of the Teacher's Guide for more information on using ePALS.
NASA's Digital Learning Network is bringing NASA experts "live" to the classroom to help with Space Day 2004 Design Challenges. There are three Web casts planned - each geared to a specific Blazing Galactic Trails Design Challenge. Teachers and students are encouraged to ask questions of NASA experts to help with the Design Challenges. The Web casts are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CST on January 13, 14 and 15, 2004. For a full schedule and biographical information on the experts who will be available to answer your questions, click on learningoutpost.jsc.nasa.gov/Spaceday2004/index.html.
NASA was recognized along with four other federal agencies for the outstanding progress achieved in implementing the President's Management Agenda. In a ceremony marking the 2003 President's Quality Awards, NASA received an Honorable Mention Award for Budget and Performance Integration.
Outreach Activity:
Los Angeles World Airports and the Aviation Council of Alabama purchased copies of videos that appear on the COFC Web site to use in their airports.
Three Australian aviators departed the Outer Banks en route to Woloomanata. Pilots John Pettit, Boyd Monroe and Fabio Betin are making the trip as part of Air Safety Australia's Celebration of the Joy of Flight. The trio plans to fly to the "land down under" via Iceland and Greenland and will make refueling stops at JFK in New York City, Scotland, Heathrow in London, Ankara, Tehran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the Bay of Bengal, Singapore and Bali before landing at Woloomanata, a site owned by Pettit that served as a base for Spitfires during World War II.
Williams Gateway Airport, in Mesa, Ariz., hosted a "Celebration of Flight" ceremony on December 17th. A couple hundred people gathered to eat their lunch and listen to guest speakers. The keynote speaker was former astronaut, Jon McBride. Captain McBride spoke about his piloting experience on the orbiter Challenger and his lifelong love of aviation. It was a fabulous event.
A Ninety-Nines International Women Pilot's event, "Kids Aviation Day," was held at Bergstrom Aircraft in Pasco, Wash. The program included approximately 75 participants (ages 9-16) and involved five learning stations: weather, communication, navigation, flight controls and preflight check (with actual general aviation planes). Commission materials were provided.
The BAT F.K.23 ‘Bantam', the last original Koolhoven aircraft in existence, is now on public display in the main exhibition hall of the Aviodrome, the recently opened Dutch aviation theme park at Lelystad Airport. You can read more about it at www.koolhoven.com/news/.
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s office was looking for a picture of Charlie Taylor to be hung outside of his office to celebrate the 100th anniversary of flight.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority/Orlando International Airport requested the use of the Commission logo for displays placed throughout their airport celebrating the centennial.
AVTECH Sweden AB is a privately owned company which provides aviation expertise to a wide range of customers in the aviation community. For its 15th anniversary, the company will be distributing mugs with the Commission logo to its staff and key clients.
The Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission held a public meeting on December 17, 2003, for the sole purpose of celebrating the Centennial of Flight. The Commission logo was used on the nametags and brochure.
An ornament has been designed to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first flight made by the Wright brothers. More information is available from George Delany, Founder and Chief Visual Officer, aaaForay, Inc., 508.252.3425, or on the Web at www.aaaforay.com.
A state-sponsored event was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, commemorating the Centennial. Information about the event was carried in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
The British are hosting “The Wright Brothers to the ISS,” Nov. 29, 2003 – Jan. 10, 2004. This is an educational event aimed at the entire community. It is being held in the main public library for the area and is expected to attract up to 5,000 visitors. The exhibition is sponsored by EADS Astrium, prime contractors for the Beagle 2 Mars Lander. Other supporters include the European Space Agency, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the British Interplanetary Society, the Science Museum and the Space Education Council.
Articles/Interviews:
National Geographic magazine published a cover story, "Future of Flying," in its December issue that quotes Ames Research Center's John Zuk, Runway Independent Aircraft Vehicle Sector manager. The magazine also published a two-page photo of the V-22 flying at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and in a special section about "100 Years of Flight," the magazine notes that the XV-15 was one of the most significant aircraft of the first 100 years of flight. The XV-15 is on display at the National Air & Space Museum’s new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Washington.
The COFC was contacted by the Web producer for Tech Live, a news and information program that airs nightly on TechTV, the cable television network dedicated to technology based in San Francisco. They are taking a look at the history and future of flight. All of the stories are rooted in the Centennial anniversary of flight, including a feature story about a California man who's set to fly his Wright 1905 Flyer cross-country. The Wright replica story can be found online at www.techtv.com/news/scitech/story/0,24195,3587774,00.html.
Press Releases:
A number of press releases have been issued recently and are available on the COFC Web site. Releases are posted on the home page as well as in the media section.
January 8, 2004 – Aviation Historian to Speak About the Life of Glenn Curtiss at the U.S. Air Force Museum
January 6, 2004 – Space Shuttle Columbia Crew Memorialized on Mars
December 30, 2003 – U.S. Air Force Museum Offers Look Behind the Scenes
December 29, 2003 – Gus McLeod Takes Off on Pole to Pole Flight
December 18, 2003 – 100 Years of Powered Flight Commemorated in Oklahoma
December 17, 2003 – “Spirit of Freedom” Officially Christened at U.S. Air Force Museum
December 16, 2003 – Space Station Crew & Students are “Partners in Flight”
December 15, 2003 – Wright Brothers’ Sculpture Dedication Rescheduled Due to Inclement Weather
December 15, 2003 – Centennial of Flight Events on NASA Television
December 12, 2003 – Secretary Norton to Accept Wright Brothers’ First Flight Sculpture
December 11, 2003 – Wind Tunnel Results Will Help Flyer Recreate History
December 11, 2003 – Airports to Celebrate 100 Years of Flight with Nationwide Customer Appreciation Day
December 9, 2003 – AIAA Awards Sixty Learn to Fly Scholarships
December 9, 2003 – New Life-size Sculpture Re-creates the Wright Brothers’ First Flight
December 9, 2003 – December 17th First Flight Centennial Program to Celebrate “Twelve Seconds that Changed the World”
December 9, 2003 – December 16th First Flight Centennial Celebration to Celebrate 100 Aviation Heroes
December 9, 2003 – First Flight Centennial Celebration’s December 15th Program to Celebrate Military Aviation
December 9, 2003 – December 14 Program Inspires Participants to Commemorate Past, Imagine the Future
December 8, 2003 – Flyover Aircraft Announced for First Flight Centennial Celebration at Wright Brothers National Memorial
December 8, 2003 – December 13’s First Flight Centennial Celebration to Commemorate Past, Imagine the Future
December 5, 2003 – NASA Song Soars to Grammy Nomination
December 5, 2003 – First Flight Centennial Celebration Tickets to be Sold at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Visitor Center Starting December 8 at 9 A.M.
December 4, 2003 – NOVA Sheds New Light on the “Wright” Way to Fly by Testing Exact Replicas of Wright Brothers Aircraft
December 4, 2003 – Wright Brothers National Memorial to Close December 8-11 for Final Centennial Preparations
December 2, 2003 – First Flight Centennial Celebration Tickets Sold Out for December 16 and 17
December 2, 2003 – First-Ever Permanent Display of a B-2 Stealth Bomber to Become Reality at U.S. Air Force Museum
December 2, 2003 – Update on Transportation Information for First Flight Centennial Celebration
November 26, 2003 – U.S. Air Force Band of Flight Celebrates the Holidays
November 26, 2003 – Last Chance to Purchase Advance First Flight Centennial Celebrations Tickets is Sunday, December 7
Web site:
The Weather Contest of the Century drew interest from K-12 classroom teachers and students from across the country. Thousands of students conducted research and made predictions about temperature, wind speed and direction, and additional climatic conditions based on their data. The contest winners are listed on the Commission Web site.
“In the Studio with Dr. Robert T. McCall,” who created the Centennial of Flight Mural celebrating 100 years of aviation accomplishments, will soon be added to the Sights & Sounds category of the Commission Web site.
Google (www.google.com) celebrated the centennial of flight by showing a flyer on its homepage.
The Commission Web site has been submitted for consideration for the Pirelli INTERNETional Award 2003.
The Centennial of Flight was featured as the “Web Site of the Day” in the Transportation Communications Newsletter. The newsletter covers all aspects of communications in the transportation field and is currently subscribed to by more than 4,900 transportation professionals around the world.
The organization, Political Site of the Day, recognized the Commission Web site with that designation. You can find Political Site of the Day at www.aboutpolitics.com.
United States Ultralight Association requested the use of the Commission logo and a link to the COFC Web site from its site.
The Nova homepage has included a link to the Commission Web site.
Delta Air Line Pilots Aviation Security Committee requested permission to reprint one of the essays on the Commission Web site dealing with the history of aviation security in the U.S.
The Public Affairs Office at North Island Naval Air Station used information from the Commission Web site to write a story on the centennial of flight.
Aviation Forces Branch, Portsmouth, Va., made a display for the Centennial of Flight celebration at Kitty Hawk. Images for the exhibit were obtained from the Commission Web site.
The Amica Life Insurance Company, Lincoln, R.I., has initiated a campaign that focuses on individuals excelling and going beyond their boundaries. They are developing a poster that would send a message to their staff about "breaking boundaries." They will be using images from the Commission Web site.
The local airport in Palmer, AK, will be using the Commission theme on a flyer to advertise centennial events at their airport.
The Edmond Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol is using images from the Commission Web site for a celebratory cake.
Educational Outreach Activities:
The Commission staff has been contacted by an extraordinary number of schools, including home schools, museums and libraries requesting copies of our educational resources and the exhibit. Examples include: Library Director, Two Rivers Baptist Church, Nashville, TN; Miller Junior High School, Fairmont, WV; Union Township School; Hampton, NJ; Rome Free Academy, Rome, NY; Lakeside Middle School, Irvine, CA; Garfield Elementary School, Santa Ana, CA; Director of Technology, Adams County/Ohio Valley Schools, West Union, OH; Holly Springs Elementary School, Douglasville, GA; Richmond Academy, Richmond, VA; Vestal Central Schools, Vestal, NY; Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, MI; Pasco Airport, Kennewick, WA; McCulloch Intermediate School, Dallas, TX; Upper Darby High School, Drexel Hill, PA; McKinley Elementary School, Kenosha, WI; NASA/MSFC TV, Huntsville, AL, Kilby School, Florence, AL; Alvarado Elementary School, San Francisco, CA; Holland Brook School, Whitehouse Station, NJ; Abbotsford Christian School, Abbotsford, B.C.; Briarwood Enhanced Learning Center, Shawnee Mission Public Schools, Shawnee Mission, KS; Logan Library, Logan, Utah; 8th grade, Woodstock, Ontario; The Highland County Educational Service, Hillsboro, OH; Blue Creek Elementary School, Latham, NY; Chestermere Lake Middle School, Chestermere, Alberta, Canada; Marrama Elementary School, Denver, CO; Tipton Elementary School, Tipton, Iowa; Williston Middle School, Wilmington, SC; Camerado Springs Middle School, Shingle Springs, CA; Adler Park School, Libertyville, IL; Galaxy Scientific Corporation, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ; Spring Ridge Elementary School, Wyomissing, PA; Allentown Elementary School, Allentown, NJ; Ethel McKnight Elementary School, East Windsor, NJ; Buffalo Jones Elementary School, Garden City, KS; Morris Early Childhood Center, Lincoln, DE; Spring Creek Elementary School, Bonita Springs, FL; Harrison Lane Elementary School, Hurst, TX; Wales Primary School, East Aurora, NY; Tamworth High School, Australia; E.G. Hewitt Intermediate School, Ringwood, NJ; Cane Creek Middle School, Fletcher, NC; Egg Harbor Township Middle School, Egg harbor Twp., NJ; University of Texas, Kyle, TX; Holly Springs Elementary School, Douglasville, GA; Crescenta Valley High School; Department of Technology Education, Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge, NY; Aerospace Education, Homestead Middle School, Homestead, FL; West Side Magnet School, LaGrange, GA; Dragon Patrol, Pack 330, Edmond, OK; Hope Lutheran School, Levittown, PA; Starks High School, Starks, LA; Library and Students’ Advisory Bureau, Jaipur, India; Department of Transportation, Government of the Northwest Territories, Canada; Miller Junior High School, Fairmont, West Virginia; and Hoehne School, Hoehne, CO.
The publisher with Distinctive Communications publishes a magazine for children ages 7-12 entitled Clubhouse. He has requested to use the Commission logo in the issue highlighting the celebration of 100 years of flight.
The second AIR MAY FAIR will take place May 28-31, 2004, Memorial Day weekend, commemorating the role of MIT, Harvard and New England in Aviation. This Fly-in event will provide a framework of a SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR, concentrating in sustainable energy (fuel cells, electric air, water and landcraft). Please contact Sergio Quadros at sergio@aeronautica.tv for more information.
The Civil Air Patrol in Oklahoma City, Okla., is using Commission materials for its aerospace education classes.
A fifth grade teacher in Wichita, Kan., has requested Commission educational materials for the class she teaches on flight. She is known as the "Flying Teacher" since all of her students get to take the controls and fly with an experienced pilot.
Pittsburg State University is putting together a "Wonders of Flight" presentation that is going to be provided to kindergartners, 1st graders and 6th graders. It will celebrate 100 years of flight and will include a skit of the Wright brothers in action. Commission materials will be provided.
The children’s librarian at the Milton-Freewater (Oregon) Public Library is planning her Summer Reading 2004 program. One of the themes she will be using with her preschool through 6 grade participants is “Flight.” Commission materials will be provided.
Requests for Information, Exhibits, etc.:
Since October 2003, the Commission has responded to requests from around the world, including: Rajasthan (India); Alberta, Canada; Ontario, Canada; Abbotsford, B.C.; Singapore; Israel; Portugal; Bulgaria; Sweden; Australia; and Brazil.
Completed Activities/ Events:
The Next Century of Flight Space Imperatives (NCFSI) conference, held December 18, 2003 at the Reagan International Trade Center, was a huge success. Nearly 200 industry specialists gathered to shape the future of the human space flight program. The archived web cast is available at www.AviationNow.com.
The Hazy Center opened its doors to dignitaries and the public in December during a weeklong celebration of the completion of the Dulles facility.
The Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy Dinner honored this year’s recipient, John Glenn, on December 12th at a gala event that took place at Reagan National Airport.
There was a book signing event at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum on December 17 to celebrate the centennial of flight.
On December 13, the Virginia Air & Space Center presented a Wright Brothers Puppet Show which was a musical account of the first flight.The presentation follows the inquisitive and inspirational Wilbur and Orville from early childhood until the moment they made their first powered flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. On December 3, Betty Darst, as Katharine Wright, presented a living biography. She provides her audiences with a rich historical cameo of Wilbur and Orville Wright's sister. Darst greets her audience in a copy of a 1909 Homecoming suit worn by Katharine Wright as she greeted her brothers’ return from Europe. Darst not only meets her audience in the persona of Katharine, she proceeds to share a remarkably personal account of the First Family of Aviation.