National Aviation Day - August 19 2012

Date: August 13, 2012
Contact: Outer Banks Group, 252-473-2111

Sunday, August 19, 2011 will be a Family Fun Day at Wright Brothers National Memorial as the National Park Service and the First Flight Society celebrates National Aviation Day.National Aviation Day has, historically, been proclaimed as a day of national observance.August 19 was selected as National Aviation Day because it is Orville Wright's birthday.Orville Wright, the first man to fly, was born in Dayton, Ohio on August 19, 1871.He and his older brother, Wilbur Wright, were the first to fly on that historic morning of December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Schedule of Events:

9 am to 5 pm- Junior Flight Ranger Program: Kids . . . don't forget to ask about the Wright Brothers Junior Ranger Program!Pick-up a Junior Ranger booklet at the visitor center information desk.

10 am to 11am -Hands-on activities for children and adults: Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas conducts hands-on experiments; how liquids act in space Centennial Pavilion Exhibit Hall.

10 amto 10:30 amFlight Room Talk: Learn how the Wright brothers solved the problems of human flight as a park ranger tells the story of their triumph at Kitty Hawk. Visitor Center Flight Room Auditorium.

10 am to 2 pm - Let's Go Fly A Kite: There will be fun for the whole family with kite building and kite flying demonstrations by Kitty Hawk Kites.Centennial Pavilion Exhibit Hall.

10 am to 3 pm - Book Signing: Author Jim Martin will be signing his latest released book "The Beacon On Kill Devil Hill".Main Lobby Visitor Center

11 am to 11:30 pm -The Bishop's Boys, A Life of Wilbur and Orville Wright: Presented by Tom Crouch of the Air and Space Museum, followed by a book signing in the visitor center lobby.Visitor Center Flight Room Auditorium.

12 pm to 1 pm - Living and Working in Space: Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas presents: Preparing for humankinds next step to the Moon, Mars and Beyond Centennial Pavilion Auditorium.

1 pm to 1:30 pm- Flight Room Talk: Learn how the Wright brothers solved the problems of human flight as a park ranger tells the story of their triumph at Kitty Hawk.Visitor Center Flight Room Auditorium.

2 pm to 2:30 pm - To Be the First to Fly!:Dr. Tom Crouch of the Air and Space Museum explores other claims around the world to be the first to fly; followed by a book signing in the visitor center lobby.Visitor Center Flight Room Auditorium.

3 p.to 4 pm - Hands-on Activities for Children and Adults: Astronaut Dr. Don Thomas conducts hands-on experiments; how liquids act in space Centennial Pavilion Exhibit Hall

4 pm to 4:30 pm -Flight Room Talk: Learn how the Wright brothers solved the problems of human flight as a park ranger tells the story of their triumph at Kitty Hawk.Visitor Center Flight Room Auditorium.

Wright Brothers National Memorial will be open from 9 am to 5 pm.Park fees will be waived for the event.

NPS