FIRST FLIGHT
Jean Sexton Writes:
Have you ever been to the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk?
I've been quite a few times since Kitty Hawk wasn't that far from where I grew up. With my dad being an historian, it was natural that we explored it.
I also went to the Festival of Flight back in 2003, celebrating the 100th anniversary of that original flight.
The 17th was cold, wet and rainy to start. One of the highlights was to have a replica of the aircraft take off. Sadly it never left the ground. One of my memories of that day though was President Bush speaking. One of his aides started to hold an umbrella over Bush so he wouldn't get damp. The President brushed him away, saying that if all these people had come here and were willing to stand in the rain, he'd survive a little damp.
From his speech, "Orville Wright lived to see the days of barnstorming and military aviation, the jet engine, commercial airlines, and the DC-3. The thrill of his life, however, was surely right here, when he felt that first lift of the wing. He flew just 12 seconds, and 40 yards, moving so slowly that his older brother ran alongside. And later in the day, with Wilbur at the controls, the machine stayed in the air for 59 seconds, and traveled 852 feet. Yet everyone who was here at that hour sensed that a great line had been crossed and the world might never be the same. A local boy named Johnny Moore was one of the witnesses. He ran down the beach and said, 'They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew.'"
When he left, Air Force One dipped its wing to the crowd honoring that flight.
It was a grand day and one I shall not forget.
Read the NYT article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1217.html#article
Have you ever been to the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk?
I've been quite a few times since Kitty Hawk wasn't that far from where I grew up. With my dad being an historian, it was natural that we explored it.
I also went to the Festival of Flight back in 2003, celebrating the 100th anniversary of that original flight.
The 17th was cold, wet and rainy to start. One of the highlights was to have a replica of the aircraft take off. Sadly it never left the ground. One of my memories of that day though was President Bush speaking. One of his aides started to hold an umbrella over Bush so he wouldn't get damp. The President brushed him away, saying that if all these people had come here and were willing to stand in the rain, he'd survive a little damp.
From his speech, "Orville Wright lived to see the days of barnstorming and military aviation, the jet engine, commercial airlines, and the DC-3. The thrill of his life, however, was surely right here, when he felt that first lift of the wing. He flew just 12 seconds, and 40 yards, moving so slowly that his older brother ran alongside. And later in the day, with Wilbur at the controls, the machine stayed in the air for 59 seconds, and traveled 852 feet. Yet everyone who was here at that hour sensed that a great line had been crossed and the world might never be the same. A local boy named Johnny Moore was one of the witnesses. He ran down the beach and said, 'They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew.'"
When he left, Air Force One dipped its wing to the crowd honoring that flight.
It was a grand day and one I shall not forget.
Read the NYT article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1217.html#article
posted by Federation Commander at 9:20 AM
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