Orville Wright was still alive in 1939 when President Franklin Roosevelt declared Orville’s birthday – August 19 – to be National Aviation Day.
The day now serves to celebrate the contributions Orville and his brother, Wilbur made to human flight and all that has come of that.
But let’s not forget the important role Orville and Wilbur’s sister, Katharine, played.
Forgotten in so many of the Wright Brothers stories, Katharine was known as “the third Wright brother” for her role in helping fund her brothers avation hobby, running the bicycle shop while her brothers were in Kitty Hawk testing out their inventions, serving as their business and social manager and running their household.
(Wilbur, Orville and Katharine Wright – courtesy Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum)
You might be marking the day by getting a plane.
Elsewhere;
The First Flight Society is celebrating at Dare County Regional Airport (MQI) in Manteo, NC with a fly-in, flyovers, airplane displays by the Bullseye Flight Team, a scavenger hunt for kids and guest speakers. Admission and parking are free for all attendees.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is celebrating with a midday event that includes a flight simulator for guests and employees to try, information tables with giveaways from PHL’s airline and airport partners, music and treats.
San Jose Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is hosting a three-day celebration that features a Joby eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxi mobile simulator parked outside SJC Terminal B.
Anyone can sign up for a 30-minutes free session (here) to “experience what the future of flight feels like: no pilot’s license required.”
(Top image: With Orville Wright at the controls and Wilbur Wright mid-stride, right, the 1903 Wright Flyer makes its first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., Dec. 17, 1903. Courtesy Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum)
