119th Anniversary of Powered Flight
On the morning of December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first manned, powered flight in the history of the world.
Event details
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119th Anniversary of Powered Flight
On the morning of December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright took turns piloting and monitoring their flying machine in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Orville piloted the first flight that lasted just 12 seconds and 120 feet. On the fourth and final flight of the day, Wilbur traveled 852 feet, remaining airborne for 59 seconds. That morning, the brothers became the first people to demonstrate sustained flight of a heavier-than-air machine under the complete control of the pilot.
Wright Brothers Day 2022: 119th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers' First Flight
A ceremony honoring the 119th anniversary of the first human powered flight is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at the Wright Brothers Memorial, located on Wright Memorial Hill near Area B. The event is open to the public.
Col. Christopher Meeker, 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander, will host the ceremony and provide opening remarks, along with representatives from the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park.
Brig. Gen. Jason Lindsey, program executive officer for Presidential and Executive Airlift at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, will serve as the guest speaker.
Kendell Thompson, park superintendent for Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park, will present a presidential proclamation before the wreath-laying ceremony with members of the Wright family.
The annual ceremony was created in 1978 for the 75th anniversary of the first flight.
Wright Brothers Memorial Park
