News & Events

Help Support the Dare County Motorcycle Toy Run!

Did you know that the First Flight, Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Ford Motor Co. all happened in 1903?  That is the theme for this year’s motorcycle toy run on September 22.

 

FFS is supporting the event on our website and Facebook Page.  Our President, Joe, is planning on participating in the ride!

If you ride:  Registration is at Vertigo Tattoo in Mann’s Harbor with the ride heading to the Icarus Memorial, stopping for a photo op at the Wright Brothers Memorial, and ending at Mulligan’s Restaurant in Nags Head.

If you happen to be in the Nags Head area on the 22nd, toys can be dropped off by 1:00 p.m. at Mulligan’s Restaurant. Volunteers might be needed to help with the collection, parking, etc.; or take the opportunity at the Monument to talk with people about the Society.

 

Here is the link to the toy run website for more information: Dare County Motorcycle Toy Run

 

Tickets are now on sale for The Wright Brothers: Those Daring Young Men & Their Flying Machine!

The First Flight Society presents The Wright Brothers: Those Daring Young Men & Their Flying Machine. The play will be performed twice in November at Paparazzi OBX: On Sunday, November 11th, 2018 at 7:00 PM and also on Monday, November 12th at 2:00 PM.

This performance is a musical play designed to inspire people to achieve their dreams against impossible odds!

This play was especially created for families and children to educate and encourage them. A true “STEM” show – portraying one of America’s earliest successes in combining Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

– Encourages perseverance – never giving up on your dreams.
– The value of out-of-the-box, inventive thinking.
– Teamwork, brotherhood and loyalty.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Park Service at Wright Brothers National Memorial Park, Kill Devil Hills, NC.

 

Buy tickets on Eventbrite by clicking here:

 Tickets

 

Book by Sterling Swann – Music & Lyrics by Larry Siegel – Produced by FreshBrewedProductions

Thanks to Everyone Who Came By On National Aviation Day.

We would like to thank everyone who came by our table today. Thanks for celebrating National Aviation Day and Orville Wright‘s birthday with us. The First Flight Society was glad to give out stickers and information about our organization. Perry, Jack and B.J. were excited to talk with all the people who took the time to stop by.

Make sure to join us for a more extended celebration on Saturday, September 29th for the Reopening of the Visitor Center at Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center Reopening Planned for September 29

Save the date of Saturday, September 29, 2018 for the reopening of the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitors Center! Here is the information we have from the National Parks Service:

The National Park Service is excited to announce that the Wright Brothers National Memorial visitor center will reopen on Saturday, September 29. Details for a grand reopening event will be announced later this month.

First opened in 1960, the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2001. (NPS Photo)

 

Since the winter of 2016, the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, a National Historic Landmark, has been closed for a project to preserve and restore its architecturally significant features and to rehabilitate its mechanical and electrical systems. The $5.8 million rehabilitation project was awarded to Group III Management, Inc. (Kinston, North Carolina).

Contractor working on custom fabricated window frame with view of the Wright Brothers National Memorial monument. (NPS Photo)

 

Inside the Flight Room during visitor center renovations. (NPS Photo)

 

While the visitor center has been under renovation, staff were busy managing a separate project to design, fabricate, and install all new interactive exhibits. The fully accessible exhibits reveal an intimate look at Wilbur and Orville Wright, along with their inspirations and setbacks in achieving flight. The exhibits highlight why they chose Kitty Hawk for their flight experiments from 1900-1903 and what life was like for the brothers during their time in the Outer Banks. The exhibits also highlight people who helped and interacted with the Wrights, like their sister Katharine Wright, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Octave Chanute, Bill and Addie Tate, and Charles Taylor. In addition to all new exhibits, a 16-screen video wall features images of Wilbur and Orville, Wright flying machines, inspirational quotes, images of flight, and select scenes of flight. The $1.5 million exhibit project was awarded to Formations Inc. (Portland, Oregon).

National Park Service staff reviewing small section of exhibits during the review phase of the exhibit project. (NPS Photo)

 

When the visitor center reopens on September 29, visitors will once again be able to see the 1903 Wright Flyer. Seeing the reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer that the brothers made their first flight in is an amazing experience!

During the renovation project, the reproduction 1903 Wright Flyer spent most of its time at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Rest assured that the First Flight Society will be participating in the grand reopening event.

For additional information:

Wright Brothers National Memorial: Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Twitter, and Web

 

Have You Seen the Latest Issue of The Flyer?

 

Here  is the front page of the latest edition of The Flyer, the official publication of the First Flight Society. Haven’t gotten yours yet? There is a simple way to remedy that. A membership in the First Flight Society will get this sent right to your door!

Readers of The Flyer were the first to know that this year’s Paul E Garber First Flight Shrine Honoree is Katherine G Johnson. If you’ve read the book or seen the movie Hidden Figures, you now exactly who this amazing lady is. Mrs Johnson will be inducted into the First Flight Shrine during the annual Wright Brothers Celebration in Kill Devil Hills this December 17th.

Join the First Flight Society

Congratulations To Our Contest Winner!

We would like to congratulate Deborah Fecak of Kill Devil Hills for winning a copy of The Wright Brothers by David McCullough!

Here is her winning picture:

 

Thanks to everyone who posted pictures to our Celebrating The Wright Brothers group and to the First Flight Society Facebook page!

Remember, we love it when people share their photos and their love of the Wright Brothers and the Wright Brothers National Memorial!

Win a Copy of The Wright Brothers by David McCullough!

This contest couldn’t be easier. If you have ever been to the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC post a photo on our Facebook page or in our Facebook Group Celebrating The Wright Brothers. It’s that simple.

 

Photos with people

Photos of the monument

You name it, there is no wrong type of photo

 

One lucky winner will be chosen at random and sent a copy of The Wright Brothers hardcover book.

 

First Flight Society Facebook Page

or

Celebrating the Wright Brothers Facebook Group

First Flight Society Celebrates National Tourism Day

The First Flight Society would like to thank everyone who came by to visit our booth on Thursday, May 10th. FFS participated in National Tourism Day at the North Carolina Welcome Center on southbound I-95 near Roanoke Rapids. Perry White and Mike Fonseca had the chance to meet and talk with some of the hundreds of people that came to visit the displays from 10:00 until 2:00 on a beautiful, slightly windy May afternoon.

National Tourism Day is celebrated during National Travel and Tourism week, which is the first full week of May. This is the 35th anniversary observation of NTTW that was created by congress in 1983. In North Carolina this year’s theme was “Travel Then and Now”. This gave the FFS the opportunity to answer questions and supply information about the First Flight Society and the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills.

Please Join the First Flight Society!

Did you know that without the First Flight Society there would be no Wright Brothers National Memorial? There also wouldn’t be an annual celebration on December 17th of each year.

The First Flight Society was born in 1927 under the parenting of W.O. Saunders, the publisher of the Elizabeth City newspaper, The Independent. It started life as the Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association, a group of 46 like minded businessman, who came together to promote the building of a memorial to the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903.

The first celebration of the first flight was the 25th anniversary on December 17th, 1928.

Please join us and help support our mission of honoring the Wright Brothers. Its as easy as clicking on this link!

Join the First Flight Society