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National Aviation Day Observes Rich History of Flight

Industry reflects on century of innovation on anniversary of Orville Wright’s birthday.

Meg Godlewski
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Edited By: Travis Tingle
Introducing the next generation to aviation [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
Introducing the next generation to aviation [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
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Key Takeaways:

  • National Aviation Day is celebrated annually on August 19, honoring the ability to fly and the pioneering work of Orville and Wilbur Wright.
  • The day was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, specifically chosen to coincide with Orville Wright's birthday.
  • By 1939, aviation had undergone rapid transformation, evolving from early wood-and-fabric designs to advanced metal aircraft and the emergence of significant military planes.
  • People observe National Aviation Day by flying, visiting aviation museums or airports, watching aviation-themed movies, or introducing others to the world of aviation.
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Every year on August 19, National Aviation Day offers pilots and aviation enthusiasts a chance to celebrate the ability to take to the skies.

Three men are responsible for the creation of the day: Orville and Wilbur Wright, who successfully achieved powered heavier-than-air-flight in 1903 at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who established the observation with a presidential proclamation in 1939.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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