Virginia Air & Space Center, DGVF Productions
Join Centennial Celebration

The Virginia Air & Space Center and DGVF Productions recently signed agreements with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission to become part of the yearlong celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothersí first powered flight. As a result of the memoranda of agreement, the two organizations will become an official part of the Centennial of Flight: Born of Dreams ñ Inspired by Freedom celebration and will help promote the national commemoration. The Commission will, in turn, provide outreach support to the Virginia Air & Space Center and DGVF Productions.

ìThe Virginia Air & Space Center and DGVF Productions will be wonderful additions to the centennial commemoration,î said Sherry Foster, executive director of the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. ìBoth organizations are providing educational material about aviation and the Wright brothers that will reach the public during the centennial year and beyond.î

From engaging permanent exhibits and interactive traveling exhibits to inspirational educational programs, the Virginia Air & Space Center (http://www.vasc.org/) has served as a leading source for informal science education for nearly ten years. The Centerís efforts will continue in 2003, when it will open a new Aviation Exhibit Hall highlighting the origins of flight and Hampton Roadsí significant role in commercial, general and military aviation.

In 2003, the Center will house a series of interactive exhibits to tell the story of the Wright brothers, including a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer and the Wright Brothersí Bicycle Shop, The Wright Brothersí Propeller Exhibit, a wind tunnel exhibit, and a Wing Warper component.

Visitors to the Center can ìwing walkî on a re-created Jenny, see a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, explore a DC-9, take off and land on a US Navy carrier, ride in a World War II bomber, become an air traffic controller, build an airplane, sit inside the cockpit of a F-22, and test their flying skills with a variety of simulators. Through hands-on exhibits, programs and demonstrations, the Center will offer students a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From the history of Orville and Wilbur to the latest NASA journey to space, the museum encourages visitors to discover and explore 100 years of powered flight.

DGVF Productions (www.davidgarrigus.com/pages/kittyhawk.html), which has been producing national award-winning broadcast and educational programming for nearly 20 years, is producing Kitty Hawk: The Wright Brothersí Journey of Invention, scheduled to air on PBS in 2003. Three years in the making, the two-hour documentary promises to tell the technical story of the Wright brothersí inventive process while offering insight into their lives in Dayton and North Carolina. The program draws on the expertise of over a dozen Wright brothers historians, including Dr. Tom Crouch, chairman of the First Flight Federal Centennial Advisory Board.

An estimated 75 percent of all households in the United States will have the opportunity to view DGVFís program, which is scheduled for completion in early 2003. The production will also be released on video and DVD, assuring years of additional exposure through the general public, libraries and schools.

ìOur documentary is an inspirational story that will celebrate the first flight and the contributions that flight has made to our world,î David Garrigus, president of Texas-based DGVF Productions, said. ìWe are excited to work with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission and appreciate the opportunity to become part of the national celebration.î

The U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission was created by Congress to expand national and international interest in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight through a national awareness campaign, Centennial of Flight: Born of Dreams - Inspired by Freedom. More information about the Centennial of Flight celebration and details about the events being planned may be found online at www.centennialofflight.gov/.

Contact:

Christian Markow
U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission
804.675.8153