News & Events
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 to the Hydromatic constant-speed propeller used by virtually every frontline US aircraft in WWII, and his pioneering whirl test procedures were indispensable to the development of all modern high-performance propellers during the 20th Century.
FFS also welcomes four new Honorary Members: Colonel Gail Halverson aka “Candy Bomber”, Brigadier General Charles McGee, Sean Tucker, and Patty Wagstaff. Both the Colonel and the General were Paul Garber honorees in the past. Col Halvorsen was inducted in 2019 and General McGee as a Tuskegee Airman in 2004. Tucker and Wagstaff are world renowned aerobatics pilots. The First Flight Society is proud and honored to have all four as new Honorary Members.
Welcome Our New Business Member Meta Special Aerospace.
The First Flight Society is excited to welcome Meta Special Aerospace as our newest Business Member.
Meta Special Aerospace’s team of experts have designed, rebuilt, improved, operated, and delivered high-reliability advanced multi-spectral airborne payloads and training to our tip of the spear forces consistently for over 30 years. Throughout our history, we have developed and built over 100 modified King Air and expanded this reach into custom enhancements for the entire King Air Family and other general and business aviation-class aircraft. In addition to modified aircraft, our experts have developed products for government and international security services, providing many modifications, ISR solutions, and Special Missions Operations.
ANGEL SMITH is the President. Angel Smith has over 26 years of experience spanning a variety of positions including military, government affairs, and intelligence. Prior to joining Meta Special Aerospace, Ms. Smith served as the Director of Azure Government Affairs, with Microsoft, based in Washington, D.C. In this role, she directed the mission of customers by providing advice, insight, and analysis, of legislative and political activities, explained complex technical concepts to policymakers, business decisionmakers, and decision influencers, and worked with customers to develop approaches that supported their strategic and tactical objectives. Ms. Smith began her career with the United States Marine Corps in 1993, where she served in roles from Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to Deputy Director at the Marine Corps Legislative Liaison Office. In addition, Ms. Smith has held posts across the world, including; Africa, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. Ms. Smith has a PhD in Organizational Psychology (PDD) from Walden University, a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy University, and a Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology from Park University.
You can find more information about Meta Special Aerospace at https://meta.aero/msa/
Frank Caldwell Selected as 2020 Paul E Garber Shrine Honoree
The First Flight Society announced today that Frank Caldwell, has been named the 2020 Honoree to be inducted into the Dr. Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine located in the Museum and Visitors Center at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA.
This honor 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. The induction ceremony will be held on Wright Brothers Day, December 17, 2020, with a celebration banquet held on December 16, 2020 in Kitty Hawk. 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 to the Hydromatic constant-speed propeller used by virtually every frontline US aircraft in WWII, and his pioneering whirl test procedures were indispensable to the development of all modern high-performance propellers during the 20th Century.
“Frank Caldwell’s achievements in aviation and aviation education – and a “First” in many areas of aviation is extraordinary and outstanding. The First Flight Society is honored to have Frank Caldwell as the 2020 Dr. Paul E. Garber Shrine Inductee”, says First Flight Society President Mike Fonseca.
William Douglas, Chairman of the First Flight Society’s National Advisory Committee, served as Chair of the Dr. Paul E. Garber Shrine Selection Panel and managed the selection process.
FFS also welcomes Colonel Gail Halverson aka “Candy Bomber” and Brigadier General Charles McGee as Honorary Members. Both gentlemen were Paul Garber honorees in the past. Col Halvorsen was inducted in 2019 and General McGee as a Tuskegee Airman in 2004.
First Flight Society Giving Day is August 19th, 2020!
First Flight Society Giving Day is August 19th, 2020!
FFS Giving Day offers First Flight Society supporters the chance to come together and make a tremendous cumulative impact. This year Giving Day is on National Aviation Day.
You can help us make First Flight Society Giving Day a big success! In the spirit of the Wright Brothers, donate to the FFS Annual Fund during Giving Day, August 19th!
#FFSGIVINGDAY
Donate
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.
First Flight: The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk Webinar
First Flight: The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk Webinar hosted by the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, VA. FFS President Mike Fonseca speaks about both the Wright Brothers’ experiences at Kitty Hawk. He also speaks about the First Flight Society and their role in the creation of the Wright Brothers Monument.
The First Flight Society would like to thank The Military Aviation Museum for hosting this webinar.
1341 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23457
1 (757) 721-7767
The Military Aviation Museum is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization.
Check Out Our New YouTube Channel!
Exciting news! We just created our own channel on YouTube. Our first major online event was an interview with Wilbur Wright for his birthday Celebration on April 16th. The interview streamed Live on Facebook and YouTube and is now available to view on our YouTube channel. We are slowly, but surely, adding new videos like the one below. This features a slideshow of some of the many paintings of our Paul E Garber Shrine Honorees.
To see our other videos, please go to First Flight Society YouTube Channel.
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.
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 the Brother’s successes as well as their failures. Wilbur will explain how geography, weather, and the isolation of the Outer Banks made it an ideal location for the December 17, 1903 Miracle at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Paul Carr is an international airline Captain for Delta Airlines and a retired Air Force Colonel. He has over 40 years of aviation experience, having flown numerous aircraft including the B767/757, B737, MD88, L1011, KC-10, KC-135, T-37, and T-38. As Chief, Air Reserve Component, Air Force Future Concepts and Transformation Division he led a Pentagon group in exploring where military aviation is headed in the coming decades. He has had a life-long curiosity about the Wright Brothers and has been appearing as a Wilbur Wright story teller since 2002. Captain Carr also has a passion for baseball and kids and spends much of his spare-time building and developing the Miracle League of the Triangle, a baseball league for children with special needs.