News & Events

18 02, 2021

Welcome Our New Bronze Sponsor Twiddy & Company Realtors.

First Flight Society would like to welcome our newest Bronze Sponsor and Business Member.

“In 1978, Twiddy & Company Realtors opened its first office on the Outer Banks in Duck Village. In 1982, the business expanded to include a second office in Corolla. As the company grew, the restored Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station was moved to Corolla to serve as an additional office space. A new office building was constructed in 1995 and expanded in 2003.

Twiddy & Company reflects the ideals, values, and vision of its Founder, Doug Twiddy, who has set the standard for excellence in professional real estate services in the northern Outer Banks area.

Doug’s philosophy was always that Twiddy & Company and rental property owners are business partners pursuing mutual goals. He believed creating success for our company, clients, and customers were achieved only through the combined efforts of a team of competent, experienced and motivated professionals who fully endorse the founder’s values of […]

26 01, 2021

Introducing the 2021 First Flight Society Board of Directors

KITTY HAWK, N.C. – January 26, 2021 — The First Flight Society would like to announce its Board of Directors for 2021.All of the directors are from North Carolina, except three who are from Virginia.

The newly elected Executive Committee consists of:
President-Mike Fonseca
1st Vice President-Dr Charles Davidson
2nd Vice President-William “Bill” Douglas
Treasurer-H Taylor Sugg
Secretary-Paul Carr

The rest of the 2021 board consists of :
Sara Lou Copeland, Danny Couch, M. Roy Daniels, III, David Daniels, Lisa Ellstrom, Judith Fearing, Orestes Gooden, Paul Wright Jameson, Arthur J. Lamothe, Blake Sauls, Doug Seay, Mike Smith, Penny Leary Smith and Peregrine White.

Joe Lamothe, Mike Smith and Geneva Perry are former presidents of the 94 year old Society that started out as the Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association.

The FFS plans an annual celebration at the Wright Brothers National Memorial on Wright Brothers Day, December 17^th mandated by their bylaws to memorialize the work of the Wright Brothers at […]

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.

18 01, 2021

Annual Membership Meeting will be Virtual on Thursday, January 21st.

Our Annual Membership Meeting is this Thursday night, January 21st. It will be virtual through WebEx. If you are a current member please make sure we have a current email address so we can send you an invitation.

If you are unable to use WebEx there will be a phone number to join the conference.

Please contact us at [email protected] or call 252-441-1903.

10 01, 2021

Frank W Caldwell

Inducted in 2020

Developed the Variable Pitch and Hydromatic Propellers

1889–1974

Frank Walker Caldwell was a leading American propeller engineer and designer. As the United States government’s chief propeller engineer, he pioneered propeller engineering and propeller testing facilities and techniques. 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.

19 12, 2020

Sean D Tucker Wright Brothers Day Video

Wright Brothers Day video featuring 2020 Honorary Member Sean D Tucker.

Video produced by Tucker / Hess Productions
TuckerHessProductions.com

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 […]

28 09, 2020

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. […]