Preserving & Sharing the Wright Brothers' Legacy
Annually, on December 17th, thousands of visitors make the pilgrimage to Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina to celebrate the anniversary of the first heavier than air powered flight accomplished by the Wright brothers on December 17, 1903.
The 1903 flight was neither the first nor the last visit made by the Wrights to the Outer Banks for flight experiments. To celebrate the First Flight Centennial in 2003, we were fortunate to have the endorsement and support of aviation pioneer Harry Combs, and his gift to the American people of a 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction. Mr Combs was one of the 100 Aviation Heroes honored on December 16, 2003, during the Celebration.
In 2011 we present another centennial, Soaring 100, the 1911 World Record Glider Flight of Orville Wright that introduced Modern Soaring. Orville returned to the Outer Banks to improve the aircraft, to conduct tests for safety and stabilization. His work introduced a new form of aviation, more accessible to the general public, and a sport. And there is much more to tell....
The legacy of the Wright Brothers extends beyond meticulous detail, calculations, and a desire to fly. Their work and success embodies hard work and perserverence.
Aviation novices, enthusiasts, and professionals will enjoy a diverse program of aviation history developed by Dr. Tom Crouch, PhD, Senior Curator, Aeronautics, of the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum.
Kitty Dunes Realty has taken the lead sponsoring Soaring 100, the centennial celebration of Orville Wright’s 1911 world record 9 minute, 45 second gliding (non-powered) flight and the birth of modern soaring.
