Celebrate National Aviation Day at Wright Brothers National Memorial!
Wright Brothers National Memorial and the First Flight Society invite you to celebrate National
Aviation Day on Saturday, August 19, 2017. The park will be open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and
entrance fees will be waived for the event. The opening ceremony will begin at 9:45 am at the large
covered tent south of the temporary visitor center. This special event will provide opportunities
to explore aviation from the time the Wright brothers first took flight through modern aviation and
space exploration today.
National Aviation Day was first proclaimed on August 19, 1939, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This day also coincides with Orville Wright’s birth date. In commemoration of what the Wright
brothers achieved, the park will host special guest speakers, pilots, aircraft displays, and
flight-related activities. Participating partners and exhibitors include the First Flight Society,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, United States Navy,
United States Coast Guard, Outer Banks Tourism Bureau, Kitty Hawk Kites, Skydive OBX, First Flight
Foundation, North Carolina Department of Transportation, North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission, Dare County Regional Airport, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – North
Carolina Coastal Plain Wildlife Refuge Complex, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, District of Columbia Radio Control Flyers, Jockey’s Ridge State
Park, and Outer Banks Repeater Association. All activities and events will take place on the park
grounds. Plan to spend the majority of your visit outside and prepare for hot weather. For more
information, see the detailed descriptions of activities and the schedule of events listed below.
All-Day Activities:
National Park Service First Flight Junior Ranger: Pick up a junior ranger activity booklet from the
temporary visitor center to learn about the Wright brothers and their journey to fly. Upon
completion of the activity booklet, you will be sworn-in as an official First Flight Junior Ranger
and receive your very own junior ranger badge!
National Park Service Social Media Scavenger Hunt: Pick up a scavenger hunt task list from the
temporary visitor center that will direct you to explore the grounds and discover more about the
history of Wright Brothers National Memorial. Share your experience on social media. #WrightBrosNPS
#NationalAviationDay
First Flight Society Aircraft Display and Flyovers: The First Flight Society has arranged various
airplane and helicopter displays near the Wright Monument. Get a close look at modern-day flying
machines and talk with their
pilots. Throughout the day, look to the sky for aircraft flyovers. (Weather Permitting)
NASA Langley Research Center: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research
Center’s Centennial Experience Trailer will allow you discover 100 years of historic
accomplishments related to aeronautics, science and space research, and exploration. Inside the
Centennial Experience Trailer discover a variety of NASA artifacts, audiovisual technology and
unique 3D imagery. Be immersed in Langley’s early beginnings as the first civilian aeronautics lab
to becoming the birthplace of the NASA. You will have the opportunity to go with NASA as we take
the next giant leaps- to make airplanes fly faster, cleaner and quieter, to improve our
understanding of our home planet, Earth, and to have humans journey to Mars. Leave excited about
Langley’s stories, legacy, and get ready to be part of its soaring future!
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Sponsors Imagine Circus: Are they merely statues of Orville and Wilbur
or are they alive? Come find out and take a selfie with the bronzed Wright Brothers presented by
Imagine Circus.
NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary: Learn about the work the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) does to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources. Learn more about
the nation’s first sanctuary and how NOAA works to protect the rich and diverse cultural resources
off North Carolina’s coast. Find out how NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations; fleet of
ships and aircraft facilitate Earth observations. Hear how NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters support
hurricane and tropical storm research in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern
Pacific.
NCDOT Aviation Exploration: Join Tom Freeman, Safety and Education Specialist for the North
Carolina Department of Transportation Aviation Division, as he explores the field of aviation
through presentations and special activities.
Kitty Hawk Kites Kite-Making, Stunt Kite Lessons, and a 1902 Wright Glider Replica: The Wright
brothers first tested their flight theories by flying kites. Kitty Hawk Kites will be on hand to
teach you how to make your very own kite to fly where the Wrights flew theirs. For those who want a
more advanced kite flying experience, a Kitty Hawk Kite instructor can teach you how to steer,
swoop, and dive a stunt kite. Kitty Hawk Kites will also have their museum quality 1902 Wright
Glider replica on display. Take pictures and learn about the glider that Wilbur and Orville Wright
used to teach themselves how to fly! (Weather Permitting)
District of Columbia Radio Control Flyers: The District of Columbia Radio Control Club will have
their model
helicopters and planes on display. Learn about the fun of flying radio controlled aircraft and
model aviation.
For more information and the schedule for National Aviation Day, please visit www.nps.gov/wrbr. The
First Flight
Society is a long-standing partner of the National Park Service. For more information, see
www.firstflight.org.
