EAA Aviation Center
Oshkosh, Wis.
August 20, 2003

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is preparing for the 100th anniversary of powered flight with a pair of special programs this fall on the Discovery Channel and Discovery Wings Channel. These programs look at the hunt to discover the secrets of the Wright brothers as well as what personal flight has become a century after the Wrights' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

On Sept. 17, the Discovery Wings Channel will air "Oshkosh 2003: The Centennial Edition," a full hour of highlights from this year's EAA AirVenture fly-in convention at Oshkosh. The special, produced by EAA Television, focuses on piloting, aircraft building, EAA's unique aviation community at AirVenture and a look ahead to aviation's second century. Notable guests include Norman Mineta, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Marion Blakey, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator; former NASA Chief Astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson; Tom Crouch of the National Air and Space Museum; among others.

"Oshkosh 2003: The Centennial Edition" will premiere at 9 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, Sept. 17 on the Discovery Wings Channel, with encore airings scheduled Sept. 17 at midnight, as well as Sept. 18 at 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (all times Eastern).

"EAA AirVenture annually brings together hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts, but we understand that not everybody can make the trip to Oshkosh each year," said Tom Poberezny, EAA President and AirVenture Chairman. "For those who want to relive the fond memories of this year's outstanding event, as well as those who couldn't make the trip in 2003, were are very pleased to present this special with the sights, sounds and personalities of aviation's biggest gathering."

On Sept. 19, a two-hour documentary, "The Wright Brothers: First in Flight," premieres on The Discovery Channel at 8 p.m. (EDT). This program features extensive focus on EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk program, presented by Ford Motor Company, and the construction of EAA's Wright Flyer, an exact reproduction of the Wright brothers' original 1903 aircraft, which will fly at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17, 2003, to mark the centennial of powered flight. The program traces the efforts of The Wright Experience of Warrenton, Va., to "reverse engineer" the Wrights' design process as the reproduction aircraft is built. Included in the process are existing Wright aircraft and parts, family correspondence and numerous other sources.

Poberezny also appears in the program to highlight this December's flight re-creation at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, with the flight taking place at 10:35 a.m. (EST) on Dec. 17, exactly 100 years to the minute of the Wrights' first successful flight.

Along with the premiere airing, "The Wright Brothers: First in Flight" will re-air at 11 p.m. on Sept. 19, as well on Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.; Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.; and Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. (all times Eastern). Portions of the original program will appear on The Discovery Channel at 9 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 17, along with same-day coverage of the Countdown to Kitty Hawk celebration and first flight re-creation from North Carolina. EAA, The Leader in Recreational Aviation, is an international association with 170,000 members and more than 1,000 local Chapters.

For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or explore EAA's World Wide Web site (http://www.eaa.org).