19 01, 2021

Ready for Takeoff Podcast 457 with Mike Fonseca

Ready for Takeoff Podcast 457 with FFS President Mike Fonseca-From December 17th, 2020.

11 12, 2020

Wright Brothers National Memorial hosts virtual-only celebration event

On Thursday, December 17, 2020, Wright Brothers National Memorial, in partnership with First Flight Society, Outer Banks Forever, Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, and National Aviation Heritage Area, will honor the accomplishments of Wilbur and Orville Wright at an online, joint celebration of the first heavier-than-air, controlled, powered flight.

The 117^th anniversary of the Wright brother’s first flight celebration online event will be shown on Wright Brothers National Memorial’s Facebook page beginning at 8:30 a.m. As part of this year’s celebration, the First Flight Society will induct Frank Caldwell into the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine. Caldwell’s groundbreaking advances in propeller technology in the 1930s ushered in a new era of modern aviation.

To limit the potential spread of COVID-19, this year’s in-park celebration will not occur. The park is open daily, and visitors should continue to […]

9 12, 2020

First Flight Society Announces 2020 Class of Honorary Members

The First Flight Society announces 5 new Honorary Members: Colonel Gail Halvorsen, Brigadier General Charles McGee, Lieutenant Colonel Richard “Dick” Rutan, Sean D. Tucker, and Patty Wagstaff.

Colonel Halvorsen, General McGee and Colonel Dick Rutan have all been previously inducted into the
Paul E Garber Shrine. Halvorsen was nicknamed “the Candy Bomber” for air dropping candy to German
children during the Berlin Airlift. McGee was one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen who flew fighter
escort for Allied bombers. Rutan is a fighter pilot, test pilot, and record-breaking aviator who in
1986 piloted the Voyager aircraft on the first non-stop around-the-world flight with co-pilot Jeana
Yeager. Halvorsen turned 100 in October and McGee celebrated 101 on December 7th.

Sean Tucker and Patty Wagstaff are celebrated Aerobatic pilots, who still perform. Tucker has won
numerous air show championship competitions throughout his career and was inducted into the
National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008. Wagstaff […]

19 10, 2020

Make Plans to Celebrate the 117th Anniversary of Powered Flight.

Save the date! December 17th, 2020 is the 117th anniversary of powered flight. The First Flight Society will be honoring Frank Caldwell as the 2020 Paul E Garber Shrine inductee.

Like every other event held this year, this will be different than previous years. There will be a large Virtual element to this years celebration. More details will be coming soon.

The Paul E Garber honoree is selected annually by a high-level panel appointed by the First Flight Society, from among numerous nominations submitted from around the world as well as compiled lists of qualified candidates. A portrait of Frank Caldwell will be unveiled and presented at the ceremony on December 17th, 2020, celebrating the 117th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers First Flight.

Mr. Caldwell’s many contributions to aviation in propeller technology highlighted by his winning with Hamilton Standard the 1933 Collier Trophy for design of the controllable-pitch propeller. His design innovations led […]

29 07, 2020

Make Plans to Attend National Aviation Day August 19th, 2020

Make plans to join First Flight Society for our National Aviation Day Event on August 19th. We will be celebrating National Aviation Day and Orville Wright’s birthday at the Dare County Regional Airport (MQI). There will be representatives from First Flight Society and several other Aviation and Outer Banks organizations, as well as educational displays. Exhibitors include Kitty Hawk Kites, Elizabeth City State University, and the Military Aviation Museum. The Military Aviation Museum will be bringing one of their World War II warbirds!

Free and fun for the whole family. Event hours will be 10:00 AM-4:00 PM.

The Dare County Airport is located at:

410 Airport Road
Manteo, NC 27954

Look out for more details here and through email and social media as we get closer.

Please RSVP on our Facebook event page.

17 04, 2020

Watch Our Interview with Wilbur Wright

Watch our interview with Wilbur Wright recorded on April 16, 2020 for Wilbur’s 153rd birthday.
Lifetime member Alfred Poor interviewed Wilbur live on Facebook and YouTube. Wilbur is portrayed by First Flight Society Board Member Paul Carr.

If you enjoyed this video please support the First Flight Society by becoming a member or making a donation.

7 04, 2020

Join Us Online for Wilbur’s Birthday Celebration!

Join us online to celebrate Wilbur Wright’s birthday! We are going to celebrate Wilbur Wright’s 153rd birthday online. Lifetime member Alfred Poor will be interviewing Wilbur live on Facebook and YouTube on April 16th at 2:00 PM eastern.

Wilbur will be portrayed by First Flight Society Board Member Paul Carr.

Captain Paul Carr appears as The Spirit of Wilbur Wright and offers a personal story of his life growing up in Dayton, Ohio, the positive influences of his parents, and how the close relationship with his brother Orville combined to forge the path that led to their historical achievements. Beginning with childhood sledding, printing presses, bicycles and kites, audiences will hear and see how the brothers overcame personal tragedy, applied common sense to scientific research, and persevered through failure, danger, and disappointment to solve man’s age-old dream to fly. Along the way you will hear about North Carolinians who shared in […]

10 03, 2020